Sligo Premiere For West End Hit

Sligo people may not be too familiar with the name Bob Larby. Many would be surprised however at how much they know and admire about his work. Bob Larby being one of the most successful and prolific TV comedy writers. He has written or co-written such household favourites as “Please Sir”, “Fenn Street Gang”, “The Good Life”, “Ever Decreasing Circles” and “Don’t Rock the Boat”. In 1982 he took the broadcasting pres Guild Award for best comedy writer for the series “A Fine Romance” which starred Judy Dench and Michael Williams.

Bob Larby has only recently begun to write directly for stage production and his first stage play “A Month of Sundays” is currently under rehearsal by Sligo Drama Circle. The show will run at the Hawk’s Well from November 15th to 19th.

“A Month of Sundays” follows in the true tradition of Larby’s ability to produce hilarious and touching comedy. When it opened in the West End in London, it did so to impress popular acclaim and had an extremely successful run with George Cole in the lead. The play is set in an upmarket retirement home, a background which from the very outset provides Larby with an ideal setting for his uniquely human comic wit.

The two central characters, Cooper and Aylotte, are two old men whiling away the twilight years through a hilarious set of pacts and bargains they make between themselves, a favourite nurse and Cooper’s tenuously caring son and daughter who arrive to visit him on the first Sunday of each month only. Underlying the intense comedy of two caustic individuals coming to terms with old age, Larby has written a play which is a gentle and tender perspective in bringing the heroism of his characters to light.

Some of Sligo’s finest amateur actors have come under the direction of Irene Fleming for the production. Bill Hickey takes the lead role of Cooper. Though this is Bill’s first appearance with the Drama Circle, he comes to Sligo with years of experience in amateur theatre in Ballina. Joe Meehan plays Cooper’s sidekick Aylotte, with Marie Mc Tiernan in the role of the beleaguered Nurse Wilson. Siobhán O’ Dea and Mark Mc Granaghan play Cooper’s daughter and son with Nora Ryan in the role of Mrs. Barker.

from The Sligo Champion, November 1988