News Updates

Cough Water (July 2010)
Sive Review (April 2010)
Sive - Portumna Players Spring Production 2010
The Mai Review (December 2009)
The Mai - Portumna Players Winter Production 2009
Spreading The News (September 2009)
Stags and Hens Review (March 2009)
Stags and Hens Programme
Portumna Players Brief History

---

---

News Updates

---

Cough Water (July 2010)

The cast of 'Cough Water' directed by John Smith.
Pauric Ryan, Tommy Shewbridge, Mike Goode, Francis Robinson, Marie O Donnell, Mary T Hynes, Lisa Keane, Declan Kelly, Jim Hynes and in the front Eileen Purcell

Portumna Players presented Cough Water as part of the opening of Portumna's Great Outdoors Festival, July 2nd in Portumna Castle.

---

Sive Review (April 2010)

Last weekend saw another successful drama production by Portumna Players. Their selection of John B Keane’s first production, Sive, proved a popular choice and attracted large audiences each night. Though 50 years on, the hard-hitting drama captured the audience from the opening scene in a cottage shared by 3 generations of the Glavin family.

The elder Nanna, a pipe-smoking granny played by Mary Hynes, was a presence to behold as she commanded the fireplace. With lines like “this house is a hatchery of sin”, she is wise and knowing, hard and caring, feeble but powerful and acted with great sensitivity by Mary. Her relationship with her daughter-in-law, Mena, is played out with huge dramatic exchanges.

Mena, (Mai Ryan) is a frustrated, childless woman who came to a house inhabited by Nanna and her grandchild, Sive. Her anger and hatred spark in her eyes; her exchanges with Nanna make for riveting tension. Mai played this role superbly, moving with ease around a well-constructed set, from making bread to stewing a dinner; her pace was measured and line delivery intelligently handled. She comes into her own when her greed is exposed by the proposal of a match by seedy matchmaker, Thomasheen Sean Rua, energetically played by Steve Killeen. His seeming naivety hides a cute and evil greedy man and the actor took on this combination with great authenticity.

The girl in the match, Sive (Lisa Keane) whose loss of teenage trust in the goodness of life before us tragically, as the audience is held in suspense up to the final, horrific scene. Lisa portrayed the powerlessness and innocence this house has nurtured in her. Her chance to escape comes in the form of Liam Scuab (Fergal Coghlan). He offers a glimmer of hope, and Fergal played the youth with clarity and conviction, particularly in the final scene - a scene electrically charged with grief.

However, Sive’s spirit is almost broken by the manipulation and bullying of Mena to marry Sean Dota, an elderly farmer. In this smaller role played by Tom Shewbridge, the audience sees a seemingly harmless auld lad appear in a very neat suit, but through his quiet moves and leers, his seedy lust eventually emerges. Lost in the middle of all this drama, lives Mena’s husband and Nanna’s son, Mike, played with great understanding by Abe Kennedy. Despite the warning signs, despite his affection for Sive, his lifelong inability to make a choice or decision sees him as guilty as the greedy Mena in the final tragic events. The lighter moments in the play involve Mike and the matchmaker - here in the porter scenes, the audience get a glimpse of a likeable Mike before the women in his life wore him down.

Another vital pair in the play, almost like the Shakespearean fool, arrive in the form of Pat and Carthalawn, ably played by John Smith and Padraig Ryan as the travelling men. These two carry a sense of foreboding with their combined verses, music and percussive effects, all delivered with the correct amount of dramatic tension. Outsiders who are really inside the minds of all the characters; they state the reality and are very effective dramatic characters.

The casting, direction and production by Jim Hynes were all well thought out. The use of the large kitchen table - a huge presence in the centre of the stage - was very clever. It provided the focal point for the household chores, the seat for the carefree teenage Sive, the solid barrier between the characters, the climactic prop for the traveller, Pat, as he sweeps it to make the table into the final bed for poor Sive. Well done to all involved - on stage, backstage and front of house.

---

Sive - Portumna Players Spring Production 2010

Sive by John B Keane is the upcoming play to be staged in April by the Portumna Players. John B Keane's Sive is a story of greed, sex and bitterness, of a scheming matchmaker and a resentful woman forcing a beautiful young girl to marry an old man for money.

Sive is a young and beautiful orphan who lives with her uncle Mike, his wife Mena and his mother Nanna. A local matchmaker, Thomasheen Sean Rua, convinces Mike and Mena to organise the marriage of Sive to an old man called Sean Dota for the sum of two hundred pounds. However, Sive is in love with a young man, Liam Scuab, who is deemed unsuitable for her. Distraught, forced to do the will of her uncle and his bitter wife, and faced with an unthinkable future, Sive takes the only choice left to her...

Set against the harsh poverty and difficult times of 1950s Ireland, Sive caused considerable controversy on its debut in February 1959. Since then it has become an established part of Ireland’s theatrical canon and is also featured on this year’s Leaving Certificate syllabus.

The cast line up is as follows:

Nanna Glavin - Mary Hynes
Mena Glavin - Mai Ryan
Sive - Lisa Keane
Thomasheen Sean Rua - Steve Killeen
Mike Glavin - Abe Kennedy
Liam Scuab - Fergal Coughlan
Sean Dota - Tommy Shrewbridge
Pats Bocock - John Smith
Carthalawn - Pauric Ryan

Sive by John B. Keane being staged by Portumna Players
in the Town Hall Portumna on Friday 16th, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th April at 8.30pm.

---

The Mai Review (December 2009)

Portumna Players produced Marina Carrs “The Mai” prior to Christmas which was directed by Marian Frawley. The play deals with the ups and downs of one family who live in the midlands and the West of Ireland. It spans 4 generations and relives their lives over two summers. The conversations and stories of seven women, the history of a family and their broken and cruel love is remembered, recounted and re-lived by The Mai's eldest daughter Millie played by Breda Burke, who fuses past and present, history and lore, into a story as intimate, unique, disturbing, affectionate and recognisable as all family stories. The matriarch of the family is the 100 year old Grandma Friachalan superbly played by Johanna Burke, whose obsession with the “five fingered fisherman” left an indelible mark on her off spring.

Robert, the Mai’s cellist husband of 21 years was portrayed excellently by Derek Frawley, the role of Robert was one of Dereks most challenging as he had to show the awkardness and uneasiness of his return to Owl Lake after an absence of 4 years, the reunion does not go well, and with the rest of the family meddling in his life the reunion stood no chance of surviving, consequently it leads to a tragic end.

Becks and Connie the Mai’s sisters were played by Marie O Donnell and Mairead Taylor respectively. Of the two sisters, Beck is the more frustrated, taking to a short-lived marriage just 'to raise herself a little in everyone's estimation.' Connie on the other hand longs for 'the old days way back before we discovered men.' The two aunts Agnes and Julie ”The Connemara Clique” are lovely parts, the “holier than thou” always disapproving roles were played by Eileen Purcell and Marie Gunning, both seasoned actresses and wonderful in the parts. They were the conscience of the family always correct and had no time for the changes that were coming in their world.

The main character The Mai is an accomplished, beautiful forty-year-old woman, and was a challenging role for Mary Lynch, it was her first major part and she was perfect in the role, Mary has come on in leaps and bounds over the last number of years. The Mai who sets about building a dream house in the hope that Robert will one day return to her, sits by the window looking out on Owl Lake waiting for her prince to come home.

The players wish to thank everyone who attended the performanances, considering the weather conditions and hope to see you in the Spring.

---

The Mai - Portumna Players Winter Production 2009

The Players are staging Marina Carr’s “The Mai” the weekend of 11th and 12th Dec and the 18th and 20th Dec Director is Marian Frawley. This play is one of Marina Carr’s finest works; she is from County Offaly and is recognized internationally as one of the finest playwrights of her generation. The play is a haunting tragedy and centers on the story of The Mai, a forty-year-old woman who is struggling to save her marriage. When her estranged husband Robert returns to the new house she has built by Owl Lake, her deep love for him is tested once again. Their daughter Millie narrates this dark and sometimes comical story as she recalls The Mai and Robert's tumultuous relationship and the legend of Owl Lake.

Four generations of The Mai's family gather in her new house as she desperately succumbs to the obsession and madness that is so prevalent amongst the women around her.

The matriarch, an opium smoking 100 year old Grandma Fraochlan, herself pining for her nine fingered fisherman, fails to realise the effect her own neurosis has had on the family. The women march blindly on as their legacy once again reveals itself - with tragic results.

The cast line up is as follows:

Mary Lynch - The Mai
Johanna Burke - Grandma Fraochlan
Derek Frawley - Robert
Breda Burke - Millie
Marie O Donnell - Beck
Mairead Taylor - Connie
Marie Gunning - Julie
Eileen Purcell - Agnes

Directed by Marian Frawley

The Portumna Players are staging Marina Carrs “The Mai” Friday 11th, Saturday 12th, Friday 18th and Sunday 20th December at 8.30pm in Portumna Town Hall.

---

Spreading The News (September 2009)

The cast of 'Spreading The News' at Portumna Castle.
Back Row: Tommy Shrewbridge, Johanna Burke, Steve Killeen, Francis Robinson, Tommy Madden
Front Row: Jim Hynes, Pauric Ryan, David Dalton, John Smith Jnr, Mary Lynch, Eileen Purcell.

Portumna Players presented Lady Gregory's One Act Play - "Spreading The News" as part of the Shorelines Arts Festival on Saturday, Sept 19th in Portumna Castle.

---

Stags and Hens Review (March 2009)

The Portumna Players staged Willy Russell’s “Stags and Hens” play over the weekend and played to packed houses on the 3 nights. The play was updated to the present time and the setting is a Bar/Dancehall - complete with dodgy lights, smoky rooms and drunken revellers. A stag do is in full swing and following a curry - the lads decide to hit the pub. The only problem is the girls are in the same dive. Marian Frawley directed the play and as is her want did a terrific job.

The cast- Marie O Donnell played the role of the bride-to-be and she was excellent, this was her first time on stage. Bernadette the “Dictator” was played by Mairead Taylor, she has played 2 major roles in the past this was her finest to date. Mary Lynch played the drunken cry baby “Maureen” also a major part and she carried it off with great gusto. Lisa Keane was in her second role with the Players she played Carol the “Work Colleague” and like the rest she was in top form. Tory Nicholson is a local Vet during the day and appeared as “Frances” the brides “Best Friend” she also gave a great performance this was her first time on stage. The girls as a group worked well together and kept up the pace required for the parts.

John Smith Jnr played Robbie the “Ladies Man” this was Johns second part in a production by the players, he did have a part in The Field back in 1990. This character suited John very well and he played it with great aplomb. Abe Kennedy had the ideal part as he had no lines, but his “gestures and sounds” were brilliant he played Dave the “Drunken Groom” carried in at the start and carried out at the end. Derrick Frawley has played many parts over the last decade and this was one of his finest, he played Billy the “Oddball”. Padraic Ryan like Derrick has played many parts over the years from serious to comedy, he was the “Piss Artist”amongst the group he was excellent. Fergal Coughlan made his debut appearance playing Eddy the “Violent best Man” he was perfect for the role and at times was frightening, he had a great part and he played it to a tee. Michael Goode also making his first appearance played Peter “The Musician” and was very comfortable in the role, the audience loved his boots his acting was superb. Tom Madden played the work/electrical power obsessed “Roadie”, the part was small but Tom played it very well, this was also his first role, hopefully we will see more of them in future productions.

The costumes were excellent, the girls really went to town with their pink costumes and head dress, the make up by Maureen Kenny was excellent and the set was very good and imaginative.

---

Stags and Hens Programme

Click the image below to view / download the programme from Stags & Hens.

---

Portumna Players Brief History

Portumna is a rural town in east Galway with a population of 2,015 at the CSO census 2006. The town is located on the shores of Lough Derg on the river Shannon. The town is steeped in history with many ancient monuments including Portumna Castle, the seat of the deBurgo’s. The nearest major towns are Galway, Limerick and Athlone all within one hours drive. It has one National School, St Brendan’s, with an enrolment of 222 pupils and a Community School with an enrolment of 431 students.

The Portumna Players came into existence in 1945. Gerry Darcy, Eamon Hayes, Des and Aileen Murphy were the founding members. The reason for the society’s birth was to raise funds for the Portumna Lawn and Table Tennis Club. Their first production in 1945 was, ‘Paul Twyning’ by George Shiel. So encouraged were they by the success of the play that the Portumna Drama Group were formed. Subsequently a constitution was drawn up. The two objectives were to promote the dramatic art and to build a Little Theatre.

They have succeeded in staging sixty-six productions in the past sixty-three years. There’s a core group of thirty-five members out of which the committee is formed. The committee appoints the director, usually from within the group. On one occasion only, a director was chosen from outside the group. In 2000 Mr Harry Smith from Athlone Drama Group directed ‘Happy Birthday Dear Alice’.

On the inception of Heritage Day 1996 a pageant was performed at Portumna Castle. This was a result of obtaining two letters written in 1924 by a local man and a collaboration with Harry Smith. The following year a re-enactment of the marriage of Patrick Sarsfield and Hanora de Burgo was performed.

Portumna Players have many achievements to date. In 1949 they competed at Scarriff Drama Festival with ‘Drama at Inish’ by Lennox Robinson. They got second place. The adjudicator was the author, who told the cast afterwards that he could not award his own play first place. Subsequently successes at festivals included three awards at Scarriff, one at Limerick one at Ballinrobe. They had the distinction of winning the first rural All-Ireland festival at Athlone in 1953 with Siggerson Cliffords ‘Nano’. In 2000 they visited Rhode Island, USA together with the Maple Poetry Group and presented ‘Sharon’s Grave’ in The Prout School Wakefield.

Photographs: Above, left - Aileen Murphy with All Ireland Trophy, Above, right - Rural All-Ireland Festival Trophy

Home   -   News   -   Sport   -   Clubs & Groups   -   Tourist Information   -   Business Directory