Full Length Amateur Drama Circuit 2012

It's a great play. All the best with it!

I see there are two different productions of the Seafarer out this year. Another great show.

I heard Estuary are making a return with 3 Days of Rain. Looking forward to another year of travelling! Some interesting shows this year.

Will be checking most of them out in the Kildare festival this week. Hoping for some great entertainment.

Jerusalem by Silken (as usual), having heard locally. Will post up some thoughts after checking out the shows during the week. Will see what I hear on the nights at the festivals I'm attending.

Any one else catching any other shows?

Last night in Kildare was Silken Thomas' Jerusalem. I didn't hang around for the adjudication so won't comment too much.

The set was fantastic. All set in one location so no real sound or lighting issues to deal with, except a few music queues.
In terms of the play, it is a good play, not a great play. I don't mean in terms of the production I mean in terms of the written piece. It's a 3 act and with an interval it came in at roughly 3 hours! The audience were getting very shifty in the chairs for the last act. I think if the author got the scissors out and cut a few characters (I seen no need for the likes of the professor and some other characters, they did nothing for the plot) and chopped some dialogue I could see a good 3 act being turned into a great 2 act. But that's just my opinion.

Lead role of Rooster played by Liam Quinlavan was wonderfully handled. I know he has won 2 best actor's already and I wouldn't be surprised to see him clean up at all competitions. I feel sorry for anyone up against that role. I also thought the character of Lee was the strongest of the supporting roles.

That's all I can say, as I didn't hang around for the adjudication.

Season ticket for the Drama festival always helps Seafarer tonight. Looking forward to seeing that. Met Cieran Hinds after The Birds a few years ago and he was recommending it.

Yeah heard Kilmeen are always up there. They won Rush at the weekend IIRC.

Well, I can't say too much about last night's production of The Subject Was Roses except that a guy near me snored through the 1st Act.

I think the adjudicator is being far too critical of excellent productions and far too lenient on weaker productions. I know he's an excellent adjudicator and very knowledgeable and I have spoke to him one on one for adjudication but a few people in the audience were wondering afterwards if he was watching the same show.

I think he needs to be fair across the board, critique all plays in the open section to the same standard. And all confined plays to the same standard.

That's all I'll say on it.

I dunno what he's saying to the cast & crew in private adjudication. I mean he can be critical without being mean in front of the audience.

Anyhoo, last night was Kilrush with Lonesome West. Full disclosure, I've played Fr. West and won a few awards for the role so it's hard to remain neutral but I'll keep my comments as always in line with what the adjudicator said..

Nice set. Very big, used all of the stage. Nice music between scene changes.
Performances were a bit flat in the opening couple of scenes and the adjudicator commented on this but credit to actors playing Valene & Coleman they found their stride in the 2nd act. Adjudicator commented on Valene's appearance and I'm glad he did. Actor had a very neat haircut and a nicely trimmed ("artistic" I think was the description the adjudicator used) beard. This took me a long time to adjust to as his first entrance leaves an impression and he was just too clean cut looking. Coleman's costume was the same, nice clean vest, shirt and jeans. While they suited the character I think the actor's would be doing themselves a favour to grubby them up with some food stains or something. It's a grubby dirty cottage they live in, I can't remember the way the adjudicator phrased it, but he said something that the costumes should reflect the characters, or something along those lines.

The adjudicator's euphemism throughout the festival for people being vocally "flat" was they "need to bring the light & shade" this was the case for the brothers in the first act and Fr. Welsh - Walsh - Welsh. I had trouble at times making out what was being said in Fr. Welsh's letter scene and I know the monologue. It was a little bit rushed. The pressure is always on an actor when there's a couple of pages to get through all on your own but I think the actor should have been allowed to slow it down a bit for his own sake and the audiences.

Highlight of the whole show was Girleen. Brilliant performance. Honest and really nailed the character. Adjudicator said as much as well. She was strong from the 1st word to the last. No harm being easy on the eye either I'm nearly sure I may have seen that actress play Slippy Helen in The Cripple before. Similar sort of character but she nailed that as well. I've no doubt she'll pick up a few awards for herself if she hasn't already with their results. I think they've won 2 festivals already.

And so concludes the voting from the Kildare jury. I'm in college tonight so will be missing the final show and the results so can't let you know who won what. If it were up to me my voting would be as follows:
Not going to bother with open or confined as I can't remember what was in what.

Best play: The Seafarer (Thurles)
Best set: Jerusalem
Best actor is a hard one but will go with Rooster in Jerusalem, final scene is powerful.
Best supporting actor is again very difficult. I'd split it between Lockhart & Ivan in The Seafarer, if really pushed I'd go with Ivan for the physicality he brought.
Best Actress (easily) Girleen
Best Supporting Actress: Molly from Poor Beast In The Rain

Jon Joe1 wrote: »

On another note I heard that silkens production is supposed to be a complete carbon copy.....As Usual!!!!!

Actually had this discussion post show last night. Have heard the same thing about the group doing 39 Steps. What are people's opinions of groups doing this sort of thing? Seeing professional shows and ripping them off completely.

I think it says a lot about the groups that do, or have done this in the past. I have looked at the set for Jerusalem from the west end and its almost identical to the one on circuit. To be fair it is very well executed and looks fabulous, but not original. Can't speak for the direction as I haven't seen the London show but have heard the same criticism. I don't think its cheating myself but I think it takes away from the original work being done by so many groups.
Having said that it still takes a lot of work and talented actors to pull off a show like that.

I'm in two minds about doing carbon copy shows.

One part of me says it's wrong, nothing original and effectively the director is really only an assistant director, the real director being the original west end one.

Another part says, well perhaps this is EXACTLY how the playwright wanted it and arranged with the original production crew to realise his vision. (this assumes that the playwright was involved with the original production)
Of course then does that mean the original director, set designer, lighting designer, sound designer etc should appear on the credits?

Of course in either case it takes considerable skill from the actors and technicians involved.

Maybe the solution would be to further reduce the marks for set, lights etc and increase the acting marks.
That would also result in less pressure on groups to create elaborate sets, but that may not be appreciated by audiences, who after all are the reason why plays are produced.

TrailerBob wrote: »

To be honest i think technical crews get little enough recognition for their work as it is (speaking as primarily a set builder/technical fix guy but also act on circuit... I take more pride in my set work a lot of the time). Some festivals have stepped up and now offer a range of technical awards, but many still place acting as the only thing worth rewarding properly. As it is only 15% of marks go for presentation, which, for the time and effort we put into design, build, gathering of stage props, transport and assembly, is only acceptable.

Sets are getting better all the time, but need not be elaborate to be effective. I think if we're striving for the best standards from our amateur actors, then the same goes for technical crews. But personally i prefer original and innovative design

Having primarily been involved in sound for the last few years I have to agree about the lack of recognition. It would be great if festivals gave awards for 'original' work.

Unfortunately adjudicators don't see it that way, or have not seen the original show if one has been replicated. It may be argued that this is a moot point, if a group is good enough then they will be successful. Interestingly the top group on both open and confined tables are the groups who have been accused of plagiarism (true or not I can't judge), which shows that they must also be very good at what they do.
Personally I'm proud to be involved in an original and exciting show that has taken a huge team effort to get to Athlone, and may the best group win.

Conor,
I'm hardly hiding behind an internet username when the film that I wrote and acted in, is in my signature in every post. So not exactly Sherlock Holmes skills of deduction required.

Scripts are the same of course for each play but each and every move is not. Also note that is not just Silken being criticised. The same criticisms are true for the group doing 39 Steps, or any group who does it.

Droichead Nua production is not the same because as I understand it whoever did it last year just used 3 black boxes for set and actors changed on stage. I didn't see it so I can't comment any further. I also know that my performance is not like any one else's because it is mine. It's the character that I created from my own interpretation of the script, giving the character a different physicality, tempo rhythm, idiosyncrasies etc.

As you say, everyone is entitled to their opinion, that is mine. Other people can defend their criticisms if they choose. I would say the same to a person who took offence from Letterkenny.

I'll freely discuss it further if you would like to PM me.

Seconds away .... round 2 - Athlone.
Have to leave it to you guys to fly the Lilywhite flag this year - 2 totally different yet equally excellent shows!
Best of luck!

On a completely unrelated matter. The Newry results. Hello?