Two plays, a meal and lashings of wine and all in the space of four hours and the likes of it would not be had in the West End, but it will be on offer in Carnmore this month when Compántas Lir stage their annual supper theatre. For just £7.50 the patrons who have flocked to avail of this offer in recent years are in for another treat on October 17th, 18th and 19th in the Carnmore Community centre when two hilarious comedies will be staged at either side of a meal and wine.
Having just been pipped for the All-Ireland title last year but picking up a plethora of awards at the finals, the group are on a high at the moment and the high standard of their productions which saw them established as one of the top drama companies in the country is reflected in the high standard of plays being performed at the Supper Theatre this year.
The two plays are both comedies and are directed by Maire Kavanagh and Lilyann Hannon and both casts have been busy in rehearsals since early September. Everyone who attended the supper theatre over the past few years can testify to the high standard of the drama on offer and this year the standard is sustained and maybe surpassed with lots of laughs guaranteed before and after the meal and wine being served by an army of volunteers.
One of the plays Coughwater will certainly give you second thoughts about using prescribed cures as it features the antics in a doctor’s surgery in the 1940s.
Set locally, producer Maire Kavanagh discovered the play upstairs in Kenny’s bookshop and has been drilling it into her nine-strong cast Paddy Greaney, Breege and Deirdre Conneely, Kevin Duffy, Michael Fleming, Evelyn Casserly, Mary Duggan, Simon Kavanagh and Patsy Cahalan.
The second play Curses, Foiled Again, Lillyann Hannon has been putting her cast of Malachy Noone, Carmel Kenny, Patricia Carton, Mary Booth, Vincent Cribben and Adrian Moran through their paces over the past few weeks. However, the cast will already have an insight into the storyline as it centres around a drama group getting ready for a play to be taken on the festival circuit. All hell breaks out when they get together for the last night of rehearsals with hilarious results.
The supper theatre is the mainstay of the fundraising the group carry out every year and they are very grateful to the community for the support at this event which allows them to bring their fine drama around the country in the name of Carnmore and Claregalway and to return with honours.
Tickets are available from Compántas Lir members at £7.50 each but be warned that they always fly out the door so get yours early to avoid disappointment.
The performances are on Tuesday–Thursday 17th–19th of October in the Carnmore Community Centre.
Declan Varley, P.R.O.
