Expect ‘a bit of magic’ at Cavan Drama Festival

The word amateur comes from the Latin word amo, which means to love.

The reminder comes from Director Raymond Hackett when he speaks of the efforts of the Cornmill Theatre Group from Carrigallen, who will perform in this year’s Cavan Drama Festival, among other amateur acting groups.

“Amateur doesn’t mean you’re doing something that you don’t get paid for, you’re doing something out of the love it and, as far as I’m concerned, all of the people that are involved get paid in spades in terms the enjoyment that they get.

“We like to think at the Cornmill that we’re an amateur group but with a very professional attitude,” he says.

With rehearsals ongoing since last September, the group will showcase ‘A Whistle In The Dark’ by Tom Murphy, a script for which director Raymond Hackett has great respect.

“It just never ceases to amaze me,” he says of Tom Murphy’s work, who was just 23 when he wrote the play in 1961.

“It’s almost like you’re a spectator,” he describes, explaining how Tom Murphy’s ‘A Whistle in the Dark’ or similarly the work of Brian Friel and that of fellow Leitrim man Seamus O’Rourke has “a bit of a magic that has an effect on the actor”.

The Carrigallen man describes the play as “really dark” with a “wonderful” storyline, without the typical bad guy turns good plot.

“No,” he says, pausing.

“There is no redemption.”

What viewers can expect are themes of “violence”, “love” and “fear of being exposed of your true self”.

While characters show deep love and tenderness in certain scenes, he warns “it’s the tenderness that makes the violence all the worse”.

“It’s a different kind of violence; it’s violence that’s interlinked with love and affection,” he furthers.

Despite a deep-rooted storyline, Raymond describes the work as accessible, where no viewer will come away from the theatre shaking their head and wondering what the past hour or two was all about.

“Tom Murphy’s plays are different,” he believes, adding that five different people will come out of the play and, despite having experienced the same storyline, will all “feel differently”.

“On one level, it’s very simple but on another level it’s extremely deep, the effect it has on the people who watch it will be different and I think that’s through genius as far as the playwright is concerned.

“It’ll haunt you for a little while,” he reflects.

For the group, the festival season will kick off in Kiltyclougher on March 4 before making their way to Cavan the following night. The team will perform two more nights that week in what will be a “fairly intense” first week on the circuit.

“We’re used to it I suppose,” Raymond says, adding the both the cast and production team are experienced enough to be in the “mindset.”

“It’s this time of the year, therefore it’s festival time. I think you just unconsciously or subconsciously get prepared for it,” he explains, adding that he “absolutely” enjoys every minute of it.

Being his first year in the director role, Raymond considers himself “an actor who happens to be directing this year” who knows only too well what actors go through to play their part.

“You learn the lines at home, you can say your lines often with your eyes closed at home and you think you know them perfectly.

“Then you go on stage and you have to be this character, then you just can’t remember the lines. That’s part of the process,” he says, albeit admitting it’s a “horrible” part of those initial practice days.

However, with time they “bed down”, which is when the “payback” comes.

“I think there has to be a bit of a nip in you to want to go on stage at all but to go through the rehearsal process, the pain of learning lines, the pain of directing and maybe at some stages not knowing where you’re going and you get through it.

“You wouldn’t be doing that unless you were enjoying it, it’s a great buzz, there’s huge camaraderie.”

In a small rural community like Carrigallen, that bond is even greater.

“That’s part of the enjoyment, you’re with a crowd of people that you know very well, you often are living in each other’s ears from on average maybe October until almost June. You have to get on well.”

While Raymond admits it sounds all “cosy” and “lovey dovey” he asserts that “it’s not”.

“The slagging that goes on is merciless but everybody knows everybody else and we have a wonderful backstage team that are like a parachute for the whole group.”

The production made its debut in the Cornmill Theatre last Thursday, which the director reported “went very well” with a standing ovation from the crowd.

“They [plays] always evolve, you don’t expect to start off absolutely wonderful because you want to have somewhere to go.

“By the time you get the to the festivals, you’re better on an upward curve rather than a plateau.”

The best is yet to come, he hopes.

The Cornmill Theatre group will perform ‘A Whistle In The Dark’ by Tom Murphy in the Townhall Arts Centre on Wednesday, March 5 at 8pm.