Celebrating More Than 50 Years of Drama in Sligo

The Trinity Scandal

Are you compatible with your partner? Will love last? Now you can find out with the help of the world renowned Trinity College Genetics department. Tempted? - well it's easy and risk free.

But maybe not for our five characters whose lives get turned upside down. Claire and Gerry - her new-found love; John Paul the put-upon PhD student; Celene Kenny, Trinity's neurotic vice Chancellor; and Jenna whose peace is being seriously disturbed by the whole thing. 

It's a full-of-fun play about real people in the modern world. Definitely one to brighten up a dark October evening. Directed by Ultan Burke, the play features Brian MacGauran, Niamh Burke, Louise Maloney, George Clooney, Patricia Hegarty and Wayne O'Connor.

The History Boys by Alan Bennett

Sligo Drama Circle is making final preparations to stage the popular Alan Bennett play, "The History Boys" in March 2011. The action of the play takes place in Cutlers' Grammar School, Sheffield, a fictional boys' grammar school in the north of England. Set in the early 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxbridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers with contrasting styles.

The play runs in the Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo from Wednesday March 23rd to Saturday March 26th at 8pm.
 

"one of the finest Alan Bennett has ever written ..... intensely moving as well as thought-provoking and funny." - Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph

"subtle, deep-wrought and immensely funny play about the value and meaning of education .... a superb, life-enhancing play." - Michael Billington, The Guardian

"It subversively mixes up drama, comedy, poetry, popular song and ancient hymns, anecdote and aphorism, WH Auden and Gracie Fields in an eclectically English way." - Michael Billington, The Guardian

"Playwright Alan Bennett has pulled off that rarest of feats, a comedy of ideas both devilishly entertaining and true to the heart." - Peter Marks, The Washington Post

Sligo Drama Circle, now in its 54th year, presents John B. Keane's "Sive" from October 27th to the 30th inclusive.  Directed by Fintan Whelan and set against the harsh poverty and difficult times of the 1950's, the play tells the story of a young 18 year old girl Sive, who lives with her uncle, his mother and his bitter wife.  A local scheming matchmaker decides that Sive should marry a man who is rich but old and haggard.   Sive is in love with a young man but the matchmaker convinces Sive's uncle and his wife to agree to the marriage for the sum of £200. So Sive is forced to do their will even though her Nanna doesn't approve.  This tragic story is both powerful and provocative and has become established as part of Ireland's theatrical canon."
 

"Where Are You?" is a new play written by local playwright and author Dermot Healy especially for Sligo Drama Circle Young People's Theatre. Dermot has been involved in an RTE documentary on his work, The Geese at Maugherow, and geese feature in this play. In the chaos of everyday life the actors  busy themselves with the everyday, playing many parts, but underlying all is a search for meaning, for direction... It is a play about young people and identity...are we individual, alone in the world, or part of the flock?

Dermot Healy, is one of Ireland's foremost contemporary authors. A winner of many literary awards, he is the author of "A Goat's Song" (fiction), "The Long Swim" (play) and "The Bend For Home" (autobiography). Sligo Drama Circle is especially honoured that Dermot has agreed to write an original piece of work for the current members of their Young People's Theatre group.

More information on Dermot Healy Here >>>>>>

The play, to be performed in the County Sligo Youth Theatre Space, the Fridge at the Factory, Quay Street, Sligo on 27th, 28th 29th 30th April and 1st May at 8.00pm, lasts about an hour. Tickets at €12/€10 Youth & Concessions are available from 087 092 6739. Audience size is limited so early booking is strongly recommended.

“A disturbed mother sends her son on a bizarre errand which has fatal consequences. Leaving home, he embarks on a journey with his friends. Encountering evil, destruction and eventually compassion, he is drawn into a world that is changed for ever.”

Sligo Drama Circle's Young People's Theatre returned to the stage of the Factory Performance Space with their new production of Edward Bond's "The Children". The play, specifically written for young people, combined both script and improvisation.

Edward Bond – one of Europe’s leading playwrights – wrote “The Children” in 2000 to be performed, not by professional actors, but by young people. Sligo Drama Circle Young People’s Theatre have took the play to heart, working with commitment and integrity, searching with the playwright for what it is to be human…

The 12 scenes in the play, lasting about an hour, were part scripted, part improvised, according to the playwright’s instructions, with the two adults in the play, as Bond insists, played by adult actors. Muireann Tóibín played the Mother and Wayne O’Connor played the Man.

The play was directed by Peter Milne who worked as an actor/teacher/director for many years in London with Harlow TheatreVan, The Cockpit Theatre in Education Team and Hoxton Hall Community Theatre.

Check out some photos of the performance HERE.

Continuing our 50th Birthday celebrations, Sligo Drama Circle returned to the Hawk's Well Theatre in April 2007 for a production of Seán O' Casey's The Plough and the Stars. "The Plough", part of O' Casey's trilogy of Dublin plays, provoked riots when first staged. Set in the Dublin of 1916, audiences at the Abbey Theatre, were horrified at O Casey’s cynical representation of nationalist heroics. Coming just after the ninetieth anniversary of the Easter 1916 Rising, it was entirely appropriate that we should revisit this O' Casey classic. Following her outstanding success in her debut as director of The Memory of Water in June 2006, Ursula Smullen returned as director of The Plough. The play ran at the Hawk's Well Theatre from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th April, 2007.

Tuesday 24th April, opening night, was a Fundraising Gala Night. The Rotary Club in association with the Inner Wheel Club of Sligo hosted the night. A large crowd attended this event and helped to make the evening a great success. All proceeds of the evening will go to secure much needed specialised equipment for St. Cecilia's Special School, Cregg House, Sligo, a school for children with moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties. There was a pre-show wine and soft drinks reception on arrival at 7pm.

Directed by Ursula Smullen, the cast included Averyl Dooher, Barry Deignan, Gerry Ryan, Siobhán Dooney, Máire Hynes, Ultan Burke, Murieann Tobin, Róisín Kilcoyne, Vinnie Holland, Kevin Boyle, Michael Leyden and Joe Mehan and welcomed young actors Dermot Ryan, Elaine Burke, Adrian O' Neill and Michael Mc Morrow to the stage in their first Drama Circle show.

Photos of the show can be viewed HERE

Directed by Drama Circle long-time member Joan Fitzpatrick, "The Sunshine Boys" is recognised as one of the great comedy plays of modern times. The play proved to be a huge hit with audiences who were treated to a great night's entertainment. The play re-united two actors who last played together to great critical acclaim in Neil Simon's other great comedy "The Odd Couple" in 2001, Robert Fitzpatrick and Gerry Ryan. The cast also included Damien Quinn, Orla Mc Sharry, Ultan Burke, Ursula Smullen, Michael Leyden and Róisin Kilcoyne. The play ran in the Hawk's Well Theatre from Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25th November, 2006. Co-incidentally, the opening night of The Sunshine Boys was fifty years to the day of the opening night of the first Drama Circle production. More photos of the production can be viewed shortly.

Mayor of Sligo, Tom Mc Sharry accorded a Civic Reception to the Sligo Drama Circle on Thursday November 16th, 2006 to mark their 50th Anniversary. Members and friends gathered in the Mayor's Parlour in City Hall where they were greeted on arrival by the Mayor. Refreshments were served and lots of reminiscing was done. Mayor Tom Mc Sharry thanked the Drama Circle on behalf of the people of Sligo for their contribution to the cultural and artistic life of Sligo over the past fifty years. He said that a great debt was owed to the Drama Circle for entertaining the people of Sligo. Drama Circle Chairperson Ann-Marie Byrne responded by thanking the Mayor for bestowing the honour of a Civic Reception on the Drama Circle and she especially remembered former and past members of the Drama Circle for their foresight and dedication in forming the organisation fifty years ago. Long-serving Drama Circle member Joe Meehan regaled those present with some memories of drama in bygone years. Finally, Mayor Mc Sharry allowed Drama Circle members and guests the unique honour of touring the Borough Chambers, once the hub of dramatic activity in Sligo and where many Drama Circle productions were presented. The stage is long gone, but the "Assembly Room" as it was then known has now been transformed into the Borough Chambers where the Borough Council now hold their meetings. More photos of the evening can be viewed HERE.

The National Convention of the Drama League of Ireland, of which the Sligo Drama Circle is a member, took place in The Sligo Park Hotel on Saturday 14th October, 2006. At the convention the Drama League made a presentation of the "Book of Days" to the Sligo Drama Circle to mark their achievement of fifty years of drama in Sligo. Karen Weaver made the presentation on behalf of the Drama League of Ireland to Ann-Marie Byrne, Chairperson of the Sligo Drama Circle.

Sligo Drama Circle is celebrating its 50th birthday this year and has compiled a collection of photographs, posters, programmes, tickets and other memorabilia. The exhibition was displayed in the foyer of the Hawk's Well Theatre in June 2006 during the production of "The Memory of Water" and was a great success. The exhibition returned to the foyer of the Hawk's Well Theatre during autumn 2006 to give as wide an audience as possible a chance to see the range of material which has been gathered in such a short period of time. More photos, posters and programmes from the exhibition can be viewed HERE.