Excitements builds ahead of Cavan Drama Festival

Rory Quinn

It’s curtains up for the 76th annual Cavan Drama Festival, one of the most successful and long-running in the country, in the Town Hall Theatre this weekend.

Running for a whole week, from March 2-9, a different full length play will feature each night to suit various tastes. Award winning songwriter Don Mescal is set to open the festival with a bang on Saturday, March 2.

Chairperson of the Cavan Drama Festival Committee Rachael Cullivan says the audience can expect a great weekend’s entertainment.

“It’s a big thing to say you’re an All-Ireland Festival, and it always has been. All 32 counties have participated in the festival, even right through the Troubles, and we should be immensely proud of that.”

The groups hope to impress adjudicator Ciaran McCauley to score enough points to perform in either of the Confined or Open All-Ireland Finals in Mountmellick and Athlone later this year.

Rachael says that listening to the adjudications is especially beneficial for younger, aspiring dramatists.

“I would encourage people to go more than one night, because they get to see how an adjudicator can decide between each play. You get to see him drill down into what makes what better.”

Ciaran McCauley is regarded as one of the country’s top of the adjudicators, and picked the winners at last year’s One Act Finals in Aontas Theatre, Castleblayney. As an actor, director, designer and lecturer in the craft he holds much experience and has a wealth of knowledge which he will happily share with audiences.

There are many groups travelling from far beyond the country boundaries, to attend this festival and the Town Hall Theatre is no doubt one of the incentives. The committee provides each group with meals in appreciation.

“Artists need to be fed,” Rachael quips.

“These are obviously amateur groups but don’t let the word ‘amateur’ fool anybody,” Rachael assures. “It’s a chance to perform in front of audience they usually might not get.”

With the groups hailing from as far away as Wexford, Mayo, Tyrone, Dublin and Down, the competitors closest to home are Cornmill Theatre Group.

Local vocational school teacher, Nakita McTeigue, is a member of the Carrigallen cast who are performing Robert Scott’s ‘According to Rumour’. The quickfire comedy follows Carter as he tries to piece together what happened the night before - but the naked woman emerging from the bedroom is the last thing he wants his Mum to find in his flat. And then there’s the puzzling matter of a bag of money in his fridge.

Nakita takes on the role of Kitty Kat and is delighted to be involved in the drama, directed by Taragh Donohoe.

“I haven’t acted in a drama since I was a teenager myself, so this was a steep learning curve! Taragh and the rest of the cast and crew have been wonderfully helpful and supportive, and it’s genuinely been so much fun, a lot of laughs along the way! Hoping all our hard work pays off, and that our audiences enjoy the show as much as we enjoyed putting it together!”

Nakita will be joined on stage by Padraig Reilly (Carter), Oisin Hourican (Roger), Orla Brady (Emma), James Grimes (Ashley), Eileen O’Toole (Harriet), Mark Connolly (Logan) and Sarah Slattery (Maxine/Martine).

“A key point of the festival is encouraging people to get involved, it’s an opportunity for people of any age or level to do so. Competing or otherwise there is a lot to learn.”

The committee thanks all their sponsors, patrons, arts office and advertisers for helping this tradition live on, and will be available during the shows intervals if you want to get in touch.

Tickets can be bought for €15 a night or €80 for all 8 shows on the Townhall Theatre website, at the box office in person or by ringing 049 438 0494. Anyone able to see all 8 performances will be entered into the new special draw for a prize.

The shows are three acts and will have an audience tea at the interval.

Curtain up each night at 8pm except the final night when the stage will be set for 7pm.