THE early plays at Athlone All Ireland Drama Festival impressed. At the opening of No Comet Seen, Private James Daly, British army "strike" leader, sings two verses of a song. One would have sufficed and this trend continues throughout John Kavanagh's play, performed by Silver Apple Productions, Sligo. With a 15 minute cut, however, this could be splendid narrative drama. There was power, drama and comedy here in a production that could soar, given a little further attention.
Finding eight competent and well cast characters for Friel's Dancing at Lugnasa is a difficulty that Ballymoney Literary and Debating Society got over splendidly. Its production also had delightful grouping and movement. Some errant green played tricks in an otherwise excellent lighting plot. The set displayed delicate touches and attention to detail, while the yard, placed in the less used stage left, made sense.
Excellent casting was also a feature of Dalkey players production of I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell (the character Rita was inspired!). Tremendous energy, high comedy and punchy direction gave the audience wonderful entertainment.
Because they impressed greatly with Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge last year, great things were expected of Torch Players, Limerick, in Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie. This wordy piece demands a powerful matriarchal Amanda and absolute correctness of pace, particularly in the first act. Indistinct delivery through a poor attempt at an American accent mitigated against the first requirement being achieved; the director must take responsibility for loss of the second. Pleasant pictorial passages emerged, however, especially in the well played fireside scene.
Castleblayney Players filled the Dean Crowe stage with leaves and produced an impressive forest setting for Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter, a piece of dubious value in which adults are supposed to play children reflecting the badness of grownups during wartime. A complete lack of discipline made one ask how this won the Confined All Ireland Final?
Newcomers to Athlone, Estuary Players, Dublin, presented Bernard Farrell's All in Favour Said No! This play is full of pitfalls but dynamic direction and acting made it look easy. Wave after wave of laughter swept through the audience during this rich romp. The festival continues until Saturday when Nora Relihan will decide on the winners of the ESSO Trophy.
