Sligo Group Gave Very Good Performance in “Montserrat”

“I think that for their courage, energy and true virility, in tackling a play such as “Montserrat” these players deserve a very big ‘Thank You'”, said the adjudicator, Mr. Micheál Mac Liammóir, of the Sligo Drama Circle’s production of “Montserrat” at Ballyshannon Drama Festival last week. Mr. Mc Liammóir said these players gave a very good performance. It was a strange play for two ladies to produce (the producers were Una Lappin and Marie Mulvihill) as it was profoundly masculine in character.

He congratulated both ladies from his heart for such an excellent production. The setting was the best he had seen at the festival to date. The architecture was admirable as was the colour and dress. It was beautifully costumed and in many ways very finely played. To him, the plums were reserved for the second act because it was better written and acted. The characters got much more into their stride in the second act but in the second act but in the first act it was somewhat spoiled by artificiality. He felt there was too much of the grand manner, without conviction, to carry it off.

“It was astonishingly and astoundingly of the professional theatre”, said Mr. Mac Liammóir, “but not the best of the professional theatre. This grandeur without conviction is the dying professional theatre and very few of us will weep for it”. There were many meaningless moves between the three soldiers in the first act, as they “popped” about a lot. When Salas Ina and the rest of them were left alone with Montserrat, the movements and groupings were inclined to get muddled and ineffectual. Much more rehearsal was also required on the rostrum.

Montserrat (T.P. Hayes) gave a grand show. He had all the sweetness of the part, but occasionally lacked strength. A great stillness of mind and body would help him. Izquierdo (Eddie Mc Dermottroe) was very fine and conveyed the grandeur of his part. He should learn breath control but he gave a striking and vivid performance in places. Salas Ina (Paddy Dooney) gave the best emotional performance he had seen. He was a born character and he would like to see him as Shylock in Shakespeare’s play. He had a feeling for the luxurious, swift Jewish character but should not use a Jewish accent but speak as the other “Venezuelans” did. Of Salcedo (Walter Mc Donagh), Mr. Mac Liammóir said, “I have never seen such an exposition on a stage of such a weak character. It was really excellent”.

He especially praised Matilde (Marie Mulvihill) and Felisa (Monica Toher) who were beautifully dressed and looked so well. They were a joy to watch. These two girls exploded his theory that Irish girls could not move gracefully as they went around the stage like dancers. “Note the grand performance of Ricardo (Lionel Gallagher)”, said Mr. Mac Liammóir. “He had no foreign accent but had his Sligo one. It was not noticeable because he played from his heart and in a minor part he was admirable”. Luhan (Brian Bohan came into his own in the second act. He congratulated the players for daring such a play, getting away from the Irish kitchen, and they had been almost entirely successful with it.

from The Sligo Champion, April 3rd, 1960