Feast of amateur drama in Kilmurry McMahon

THE first amateur dramatic society to form in Kilmurry McMahon in living memory puts on its debut performance in the West Clare parish in the new year.
Last Tango In Kilmurry McMahon, a one-act comedy written by David Tristram, will be presented on January 4 by the newly formed Rambling House Players and will introduce four new Kilmurry McMahon actors.
Also taking to the stage on the same night is the Kilmurry McMahon ICA with their production of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Originally called Last Tango in Little Grimley, Rambling House Players decided to change some of the names and references to make it more accessible to a local audience.
Michael Coughlan plays Gordon, Sabrina Keogh stars as Margaret, Francis Downes plays Bernard and Yvonne Baumann plays Joyce. This is the first time the four actors have performed on stage since their days in school.
The play is about the local drama group, who have hardly any members and struggle to attract audiences to their productions. They need to make some rent money or they’ll be thrown out, so they decide to put on one last play. In order to attract the crowds, they bill it as being a risqué over-18s only comedy, even though it isn’t. Chaos ensues during rehearsals and tempers flare. Will they ever make it to the stage?
Speaking to The Clare Champion ahead of their opening performance, Sabrina Keogh said the new group has really brought people together in Kilmurry McMahon in a fun and enjoyable way.
“The play is the build-up to the play; so it is like a play within a play. We are actors and we’re not the greatest of actors in the play. For instance, there is one character that Gordon wants to be in the back but all she wants to do is have a song in it. Then there are different characters who don’t want to be in the play at all,” Sabrina explained.
Sabrina’s character, Margaret, sees herself as the star of the drama group. She always wants the lead role and wants to be the group’s chairperson.
When Sabrina heard her neighbour, Peter O’Connell, and a few others in the community were talking about setting up a new dramatic society called Rambling House Players, she decided to get involved.
“It was set in the Rambling House, which is owned by Paul Markham. It’s become a house where if there are any meetings in the area, there is always a get-together in that house. It’s an old-fashioned house and is one of a kind.
“The society gets the community together and it helps bring the young and older people together. Because people work in Ennis and Limerick, you wouldn’t really see them, only at mass, so that’s the good thing about it,” Sabrina said.
She added it was also an opportunity to return to acting, which she left behind in primary and secondary school.
“The last time I acted was in secondary school and, before that, in primary school. In terms of acting, I think it is all our first real acting experience. It has been good. It is fun when we have rehearsals. On some of the lines, you can’t stop laughing. You have to put a lot of effort in but it’s a good thing to be involved in for the winter months and the weeks fly. I hope more people will get involved next year and I hope people really enjoy the night,” she concluded.
The play is directed by Eddie McCourt from Kildysart, who has experience working with Kildysart Drama Group and Ennis Players.
Meanwhile, members of the Kilmurry McMahon ICA Guild will take to the stage with their performance of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? the same night.
Outlining the play, Mary Neylon of Kilmurry McMahon ICA Guild said, “It was written a number of years ago by May O’Halloran, one of the ICA members, for a competition that the ICA ran. We based a play on the theme of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? It’s about an old-fashioned man called Johnsie, who is quite miserly. He won the lotto and got duped or taken in by somebody who spotted an opportunity and Johnsie gets his comeuppance for being so mean.”
The play is set in rural Ireland and there are five people in the cast. The characters are Johnsie, played by Helen Flanagan; his neighbour Mossie, played by Mary Neylon; the barman Sean, played by Anne Coughlan; Johnsie’s nephew, Brian, played by Jenny O’Shea and his fiancée, Amanda, played by Áine Heslin. The play is set in Johnsie’s kitchen.
The Kilmurry McMahon Guild of the ICA are no strangers to the stage but it is approximately four years since they last put on a dramatic performance. While Mary said there are some seasoned actors taking part, some cast members will be making their acting debuts on the night.
Kilmurry McMahon ICA Guild and Rambling House Players will stage their one-act plays from 8pm sharp at Kilmurry McMahon Community Centre on January 4. There will also be traditional music and stories from seanachaí Paul Markham on the night.
Doors open at 7.15pm and mulled wine and punch will be available before the show.
Tickets are available from cast members and on the door on the night.
All funds raised will go towards the Adventure Playground, Labasheeda and the Kilmurry McMahon Community Centre refurbishment fund.
The adventure playground and multi-use games area will be built in early 2013 at the grounds of the Shannon Gaels GAA pitch in Labasheeda.
For further information or booking details call 087 7784754.