Drama Circle Second In All-Ireland

For the third time since 1970 when they won the Esso Supreme Trophy, Sligo Drama Circle were Runners-Up in the All-Ireland Drama Festival held in Athlone. “Men Without Shadows” by Jean Paul Sartre, this year’s play, proved to be the most provocative of the ten day festival and if one is to judge by the amount of comment it generated immediately after its presentation and since, then it will be a long time before it is quite forgotten by the Athlone audience.

The subject matter of violence, begotten violence in the name of freedom and the consequent morass of mindless horror, futility and despair that such a chain leaves behind it, was explored in depth by the Sligo company and left no neutrals among the audience. They either hated it or were totally engrossed. Speaking immediately after the presentation, adjudicator Mr. Stanley Hildebrand, said, “Tonight we had a searing, painful experience in the theatre that we won’t forget easily. We were made to feel uncomfortable in the extreme and that is what this play and this team meant us to feel. It was directed with thoroughness and artistry and it never faltered from its course for a second. It is not the sort of play that I like but that is a totally different matter. It is almost incredible how the director (Liam Mc Kinney) and the actors in this team took hold of us and held onto us so successfully for over two hours with this most difficult of play. They must earn very high marks indeed”.

Speaking of the acting he said, “Lionel Gallagher gave a convincing portrayal of terror and despair. Mick Kilcoyne was an actor of immense resources of intensity and power which he used with tremendous effect. Tony Wehrly was an actor of great presence and voice. He had played the underlying cowardice and the soul-searching examination of himself with great sincerity and his final leap through through the window to his death was simply splendid”.

Commenting on Columb Mc Bride’s performance as “Henri”, Mr. Hildebrand said: “This actor had most of Sartre circumlocuted arguments to deliver. It was a great tribute to the actor that he never lost our attention for a second and in his final moving moments utterly silenced us”. Of Barney O’ Reilly he said: “This player had the right qualities of leadership. He had a poetic quality that he found very pleasing and although the role fizzled out in the text the actor had overcome this”.

The adjudicator said of Maria Mc Dermottroe: “When I read this play I feared very much that this role would defeat the best efforts of most actresses but this actress succeeded totally. She has a unique quality of voice that is just right for the part and she used it to the most telling effect. The change that had been worked in her by the brutality of her tortures was truly remarkable”. Speaking of the military personnel in the play, Mr. Hildebrand said these parts had been splendidly played and contrasted. Manus Shields as “Andrew” had shown that he had a wide range of failings and developed them exceptionally well. Robert Burnside played the “pale-faced sadist” with extreme precision and control which was dead right, while Martin Doonan got across with great contrast to the other two “the near sighted cockiness of the character in a most realistic manner”.

“Finally”, he said, “I cannot let the night pass without saying how impressed I was by the playing of the two soldiers, John Caheny and Eddie O’ Reilly. Overall this was a most difficult choice of play and had been given courageous, thorough and artistic treatment by a first class team”.

Sligo Drama Circle’s record since 1970 is : “A Streetcar Named Desire”, overall winner in 1970; “Death of a Salesman” 2nd in 1971; 1972 “The Crucilble” 2nd.

from The Sligo Champion, May 24th, 1974