After a 10-night run, the curtains came down on the 63rd Clare Drama Festival in Scariff with adjudicator, Donn McMullin paying glowing tributes to the participating groups. He described the standard of production as “the highest I have experienced in my career”.
Of the 10 groups, four were from Clare. The local Sliabh Aughty Drama Group treaded the boards with Charlie O’Neill’s Rosie and Starwars, while Doonbeg Drama Group staged John B Keane’s Big Maggie.
Corofin Dramatic Society presented John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt A Parable, while The Ennis Players entertained with JM Synge’s The Playboy Of The Western World.
There was double joy for Doonbeg Drama Group when Helena Keane was awarded best actress for her portrayal of Maggie Polpin, while Charlie Killeen received the best supporting actor as Byrne in Big Maggie in the confined section.
The winner of the open competition and the Padraig ÓBeacháin Memorial Trophy was Nenagh Players with Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. Second were the Bradán Players with Mauritius and Brideview Drama Group were in third place with Pied á Terre. In the confined section, the winner was Ferns Dramatic Society with Translations by Brian Friel.
The Clare Drama Festival in Scariff is one of the longest running drama festivals in Ireland and this year, the competing groups really raised the bar as, between them, they had amassed 20 festival wins on the circuit. Chairman Damian Heaney described the 10-night event as a great festival.
The results were: winner of the open competition, Nenagh Players with Agnes of God; winner of the confined competition, Ferns Dramatic Society with Translations; best director open, Kevin Walshe of Nenagh Players; best director confined, Clodagh Cecil of Ferns Dramatic Society; best presentation, Ferns Dramatic Society; stage management award, Bradán Players, Leixlip; highest marks in acting, Nenagh Players; best actor open, George Hogan as Sterling in Bradán’s Mauritius; best actress open, Irene Kelleher as Katie in Brideview’s Pied á Terre; best actor confined, Ray McGrath as Maurice in DADS, Dunmore Last Apache Reunion; best actress confined, Helena Keane as Maggie Polpin in Doonbeg’s Big Maggie; best supporting actor open, Christy O’Sullivan as Jemmy Maguire in Kilmeen’s King Of The Castle; best supporting actress open, Gillian Purcell as Mary in Bradán’s Mauritius; best supporting actor confined, Charlie Killeen as Byrne in Doonbeg’s Big Maggie and best supporting actress confined, Paula D’Arcy as Sarah in Ferns Dramatic Society’s Translations.