Lively opening to Athlone Festival

The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms Sile De Valera T.D. commended the vitality of the amateur drama movement when she opened the Esso All-Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone. Then followed Sundrive Players, with Fathers and Sons by Brian Friel, after Turgenev. Sundrive's attention to detail always impresses and their costumes and design in period drama are always elegant. Competent direction and fine ensemble acting were again apparent in this stylish presentation that captured the nuances of anarchic 19th century Russia perfectly.

Billy Roche's "quare old whisperin' world . . . in a town without pity" came to life impressively when Corn Mill Theatre of Carrigallen staged his Belfry. A rich-voiced opening narration promised a fine interpretation of events to follow and a strong, well-directed cast duly delivered. A difficult requirement for accurate sound effects was met impeccably. Carrigallea are improving at every outing.

The County Home recollections of a former D.M.P. officer were competently paraded in Coolera's The Steward of Christendom, by Sebastian Barry. A complicated lighting design was visually attractive but, in early scenes, did not always reveal facial expressions that would have aided a slow narration. All was well in Act Two, however. Overall, Coolera scored well with a challenging work.

Brian Friel's Faith Healer is an ambitious undertaking for amateurs, but Thurles Drama Group brought three superb performers to make it altogether engrossing. One failed to hear the ends of sentences on occasions, but not to the detriment of understanding the narration. Intelligent direction used every trick to ring changes and a clever lighting plot complemented the devices. Some cruel comedy at the expense of old age seems less acceptable nowadays than in 1970, when Paul Zindel wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds. The play depends on the eccentric, boorish mother nicknamed `Betty the Loons" at the school to which she must return when her young daughter wins a prize for her horticultural project. Torch Players, Limerick, were well served here. There are always difficulties with American accents on Irish stages, but the group overcame them better than most. Torch's designer gave us a magnificently untidy home and their director moved a competent cast with skilful pace to get the most out of the text. This production will open the Dundalk Drama International on Saturday, May 23rd.

"From Portora to prison is quite a long way," sings the chorus at the beginning of Terry Eagleton's Saint Oscar. It is, about 10 minutes too long. Its most profound moment comes when the audience would be losing its concentration were it not for a stylish presentation within a sophisticated set from the accomplished Moat Club, Naas. With a little more bass resonance their Oscar could be the young MacLiammoir, both in appearance and in gesture. There is a delightful first act. The text becomes more dreary as the court scene progresses in Act Two, but a prison scene is introduced in true Les Miserables style. Moat's production crew, cast and musician excelled.

The Festival continues until Saturday, when adjudicator John Fox will announce the results.