Let the Drama Begin..
13 March 2023
Get ready for a theatrical extravaganza at the Alley Theatre as the Strabane Drama Festival comes to town.
Get ready for a theatrical extravaganza at the Alley Theatre as the Strabane Drama Festival comes to town.
This weekend sees the hugely popular festival commence with a performance of Edward Flannagan’s ‘When Elephants Collide’ performed by Lifford Players on St Patrick’s Night 17th March. A tale of inheritance. A family in crisis. A father who doesn’t know which child to trust with his legacy. When Elephants Collide is a fast paced play interwoven with sibling rivalry, jealousy and greed set in a 21st Century Ireland still anchored to 19th Century traditions.
Saturday will see the famous Nigel Slater autobiography book ‘TOAST’ brought to lift by Belfast’s Rosemary Drama Circle. Toast is the story of Nigel Slater’s childhood, told through the tastes and smells he grew up with and is a funny, touching and truthful portrait of a boy who finds the courage to follow his own recipe in life. From making the perfect sherry trifle to waging a war over cakes and from the pressured playground politics of sweets to the rigid rules of restaurant dining, this is a story of love, loss and…toast.
The festival takes a little break and returns on Tuesday 21st March with Theatre 3 Newtownabbey Drama Group with Arthur Millers play ‘The Price’. A story based around two brothers who have been estranged for the past 16 years and meet again to dispose of the furniture accumulated in their deceased father’s apartment.
The following evening on Wednesday 22nd March, Ballybofey group Butt Drama Group Presents: ‘Darkness Echoing’ by Shaun Byrne. Joe returns home to Donegal from London under a cloud to find his father seriously ill and is forced to deal with issues concerning his own young son’s passing some years earlier.
The well-known and highly respected playwright, John McManus, responsible for comedy gold like The Cavan Curse, The Quare Land and Danger Money, has entrusted his latest work to the very capable hands of Knock Drama Group as they perform ‘The Loophole’ on Thursday 23rd March. Set in modern times with up-to-date themes running through it, Loophole tells the story of two miserable farmers Paidi and Cass.
Paidi has been told he will die in six months so he decides to leave the land to Cass. On the surface it seems they are best friends, but all is not as it appears. Added to this Paidi's no-good brother Rooster causes problems as does Kasia, a Lady of the night from Poland. The local solicitor, Miss Murphy will sort everything out hopefully, with the help of the two nosey neighbours Mairead and Molly.
Friday 24th March sees Salmon Eile Presents: The Pitchfork Disney. Originally a 1991 stage play by Philip Ridley, this is a nightmarish fairytale about abandoned children. Presley and Haley, two siblings, live in a squalid flat in a ruined world. Their parents seem to have died years ago, and now they wile away a schizophrenic existence by feeding off chocolate and ‘Mum and Dad’s medicine.’ One day however, an interloper appears, and things start to go very wrong.
Comedy features on the final evening Saturday 25th March as local group Newtownstewart Theatre Company Presents: ‘Midden’ by Morna Regan. A sharp, funny, moving story of five women across three generations, and a prodigal daughter’s return. Ruth, a thirty-something businesswoman, returns home to Northern Ireland from America where she has built a successful fashion business. But instead of the expected welcome, she finds her mother full of bitterness and anger; her grandmother on the brink of Alzheimer's and her younger sister struggling to survive. Her arrival provokes instant strife, opening old scars and revealing incendiary secrets.
Ciara McCay Festival Director commented, ‘There is a superb selection of productions on offer this year from comedies, to the darker and serious dramas.’ As always we welcome groups from all over Ireland and the quality of productions and sets will be incredible. Each night there will also be pre-show performances including Brian Hasson, Jamie Donnelly, Terry McCafferty and more in the Alley Café Bar from 7.30pm onwards.
Season tickets for all nights are available at £55 or individual tickets are available for £10. Four-night Special and Student Special tickets are also available.
For more information contact The Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444 or online www.alley-theatre.com