Sligo Drama Circle All-Ireland Winners – Success in Ninth Final

Sligo Drama Circle carried off the major prize at the All-Ireland Drama Festival in Athlone at the weekend with their production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. It was the Drama Circle’s first-ever victory in the competition after nine appearances in the final, on three of which hey were beaten into second place. At the conclusion of the week-long festival, the producer of the prize-winning play, Mr. Liam Mc Kinney, Temple St., Sligo, was presented with the Esso Perpetual Trophy as well as the Producer’s Cup while Stage Manageress, Miss Marion Reidy, was awarded the Moore Cup for Stage Management. The members of the cast will receive replicas of the Esso Trophy at a special celebration banquet given by Esso Petroleum Ltd., sponsors of the festival, in Sligo next month.

The adjudicator at the Athlone festival, Dublin-born professor of speech and drama. Mr. Robert T. Armstrong, said he had been waiting all week to be swept off his feet by some production and the Drama Circle’s had come closest to doing that. Mr. Armstrong described the teamwork as “superb” and said the lighting and stage setting would have done justice to any professional performance he had seen. The production had some masterly touches and had set the right atmosphere with an absolutely splendid opening. For the first time during the festival, he had been taken away from the hall and into the setting of the performance. Mr. Armstrong went on to say the play had succeeded most in its explosive moments but he would have preferred further development of its sensuality.

Referring to the individual performances, he said he did not think there was an actress in the world who could completely explore the character of Blanche but Deirdre O’ Connor had gone very close and had given a deeply satisfying performance. He said Joan Fitzpatrick was one of the most splendid supporting actresses he had ever seen while Shane Cleary had never doubted his own strength. Mr. Armstrong described the part played by Cormac Sheridan as one of the most difficult in the play but said it was handled with great confidence and sincerity. The adjudicator said one of the strongest points of the play was the great balance of the casting. Even the smallest parts were of great significance in the overall effect. The walk-ons, though purely the invention of the producer, had added tremendously to the atmosphere.

Sligo Drama Circle were placed fourth in the festival last year with another Williams play The Glass Menagerie. They were runners-up in 1962 with My Three Angels and prior to that with God’s Gentry and Thy Dear Father. They took third prizes with The Money Doesn’t Matter and The Curious Savage. The cast was as follows: Dee O’ Connor (Blanche), Joan Fitzpatrick (Stella), Shane Cleary (Stanley), Cormac Sheridan (Mitch), Eily Kilgannon (Eunice), Brian Bohan (Steve), Padraig Foran (Pablo), Maura Doherty (Negro Woman), Robert Folan (Doctor), Irene Conlon (Nurse), Lionel Gallagher (Young Man), Maura Nangle (Mexican Woman). Extras: Carol Kelly, Seán Gallagher, Corina Gilbride, Frank Brannigan, Mary Harrison, Seán Foley, Margaret Mc Nulty, Liam Rooney, Seán Scanlon.

Stage assistants: Betty Keogh, Frank Brannigan, M. Mc Donagh, Imelda Mulligan, Margaret Mc Nulty. Settings: Seán Gallagher, Aidan Sexton, Joe Burns, Liam Costello, Walter Mc Donagh. Design and Programme: Liam Mc Kinney. Sound Effects: Seán Tighe. Special Effects: Seán Breslin. Tape: Liam Canning. Lighting: Aidan Sexton, Ray Caulfield. Assistant Stage Managers: Carol Kelly and Una Lappin. Stage Manager: Marion Reidy.

from The Sligo Champion, April 24th, 1970