In the eye of the Storm
Theatre goers set to be blown away by One-Act circuit
Grace O’Leary
“The dialogue will tell one story, but the subtext will tell another,” are the compelling words of local playwright Vanessa Galligan. This is how the Denn woman describes the thrilling plot behind her new play ‘Storm Seamus’, which will be performed by Mostrim Players of Longford in the tonight.
Vanessa’s own one-act play, ‘Storm Seamus’ is set in the heart of a small, rural Irish village. On that night, when a storm sweeps through the countryside, the entire area is swept into darkness. The only place that has a generator is Seamus’s Pub.
“There are two characters - an estranged husband and wife who are the only two customers in the pub that night. They have recently separated. The play unfolds how their marriage fell apart with a lot of secrets coming to light.”
Ahead of the upcoming Drumavaddy show and being in the spotlight against fellow confined circuit rivals The Moogles, She says: “It is a very friendly competition and we learn from each other, and there’s support within that.”
There will be plenty of familiar faces performing in Vanessa’s play. The character of Seamus, the barman, is played by local actor Jimmy Connell from Edgeworthstown who is widely known on social media for his character Jimmy Jest. There are also two other local actors Richie Cheevers (Tony) and Annette Casey (Freda), who are no strangers to the stage.
Vanessa had read over 30 short plays in search of one for Mostrim to perform, but couldn’t find the perfect play to suit her particular group, or that would work on the one act circuit, so she decided to write an original piece.
“It’s hard to get a play that suits a one-act competition, that hasn’t been done in recent years and that has a simple set. My mother [Pauline Flood] is a playwright, so I have always been exposed to playwrighting and have co-written scripts with her in the past.”
She also has been awarded praise in the past for her creative work.
“I got highly commended in the National Playwriting Competition 2023 for my first ever attempt at playwriting alone with a one act called ‘Against All Odds’. I suppose that gave me the motivation and validation to write again.”
‘Storm Seamus’ is a deep storyline that has an unseen plot twist.
She suggests the play will be relatable to everyone because of the humour and empathy it portrays.
To anyone that hasn’t yet bought a ticket Vanessa urges: “No matter what venue you go to, you’re getting value for your time and money. In relation to the plays: You may love some, you may hate some, but you will enjoy them all.
“It’s a very interesting experience to go to a competition, because at the end of the night the adjudicator comes up to the stage and talks openly about the three performances and about each actor. Hearing what the adjudicators have to say about each production publicly at the end of each night is another element of entertainment in itself.”
Vanessa, who previously worked as the performing arts tutor at Cavan Institute, is very grateful to have drama and art in her life, especially after Covid.
“I’m really glad it’s back up and running. I think it’s a lovely privilege to have in every community.”
Tickets for this evening's opening night of the One Act Drama Festival can be bought online via www.townhallartscentre.com or from the box office 049 4380494.