Sell-out performances, enthusiastic crowds and a superb standard of drama are the hallmarks of this year’s Roscommon Theatre Festival. Organisers are delighted with the enthusiasm shown for this year’s offerings. Three nights sold out to date and a further two look set to be sold out. To date the standard has been very high, creating a difficult job for adjudicator Padraic McIntryre. The event opened on Friday night with Compantas Lir from Galway, who staged John B. Keane’s ‘The year of the Hiker’. On Saturday night it was the turn of the Cloonacool players from Co. Sligo with Keane’s ‘Big Maggie’. On Sunday night, Shoestring Theatre from Charleville in Co. Cork staged ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ by Brian Friel. Monday night saw Glenamaddy Players take to the stage with ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde, while on Tuesday ‘The Trappe Family’, a new play written by Seamus O’Rourke, a member of the Cornmill Theatre in Carrigallen, was be staged. Last night (Wednesday) saw KATS from Galway stage ‘The Glass Menagerie’. ‘Borrowed Robes’ written by John Barrett will be staged tonight (Thursday 13th). It is set against the historical background of anti-semitism which was common in Ireland at the turn of the 19th century. The play explores how the misguided fanaticism of one priest could whip up a congregation into an unthinking frenzy of hate with terrible and tragic consequences. The funny yet sinister ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’ by award winning Martin McDonagh features on the penultimate night of the Festival and is already sold out. On Saturday 15th the grand finale with overall winners being announced takes place after the final production of the Festival, Harold Pinter’s ‘The Caretaker’. This show also looks set to be a sell out. For more information on the full festival programme and to reserve tickets contact the arts centre box office (090) 66 25824.
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