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Written by Joe O'Connell
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Tuesday, 17 April 2007 |
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 The All-Ireland Confined Drama Festival opened last Friday night in St.Michael's Hall in New Ross. Compántas Lir opened the festival, the first of nine nights, with the production of Cambusdonald Royal - The Second Sorcorer's Tale. The hall is a lovely theatre with a large stage, excellent lighting and sound facilities and also tiered seating. Not that anyone is suspicious but this was Friday the 13th, 13 cast members and 13 back stage crew members about to perform their 13th show of the year.....
From 8:30am when the crew had began erecting the set, it was evident that this was the final show and an All-Ireland. Nothing in the set was left to chance and it took until five that day to have it completely finished. By that point the stage was literally set. Lights had gone through the tests and sound bytes were tested for levels.
All of the cast and crew had some form of butterflies when they arrived and everyone headed down for dinner. Afterwards they returned for make up and a final reassuring look over their lines.
The reception of the 340 or so people who attended was warm, inviting and reassuring. At 8:15pm, the chanting monks and tolling bells gave rise to the by now familiar glow of the brazier on the faces of Brother Barnabus and Brother Donatus. The laughter urged the group on perform one of their best shows.
Afterwards the adjudicator reviewed the play. When the show had finished the set was taken apart for the last time and there was a sense of the unknown as this had become part of the cast and crews routine for the past 6 months. However everyone took the Abbot's adice and had a drink of Cambusdonald Royal at the post show festival reception !
The sing song continued late into the night. Next day the bus was filled with sleepy heads and we turned our backs on New Ross still wondering how we would do....it is now a matter of waiting until the final results are revealed on Saturday night next.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 17 April 2007 )
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