The Lonesome West

On Thursday November 5th ,the Castle Players will once again be bringing drama back to the Dominican Hall, the Mecca for theatre in Dundalk during the 50’s and 60’s. On their last visit six years ago, they played to full houses with Bernard Farrell’s Caneries, the profits going to the Dominican Church building fund. This time round the profits will go to St Malachy’s National Schools when they will stage Martin McDonagh’s hilarious comedy “The Lonesome West”

Martin McDonagh is one of the leading Irish playwrights of the modern era. Following the success of the award winning Beauty Queen of Leenane  in 1995. His next play The Lonesome West , and was first produced by Galway’s Druid theatre Company in the summer of 1997. The play was nominated for four Tony awards when it played in New York in 1999.

The play tells the story of brothers, Coleman and Valene Connor, whose dysfunctional cohabitation plays out an hilariously dark vision of the human condition. The Connor brothers live modest lives, gleaning joy from simple pleasures; Drinking poitin, scoffing vol-au-vents, joking with the feisty Girleen, tormenting Father Welsh while fighting  and arguing with each other constantly, which ultimately brings explosive results.

Although a comedy there are many poignant moments in the play, especially between Girleen and Father Welsh. Secretly Girleen harbours a wild passion him.

Co-Director Edwina Albrecht feels, that after waiting nearly ten years to stage the play, the Castle Players have finally got the right cast for this very demanding play.

The Connor brothers Valene and Coleman are played by  Nigel Clinton and Sean Kinahan respectively. In the role of, the moany and maudlin Father Welsh is Niall McCann. The part of the feisty schoolgirl, who sells her father’s poitin around the village. will be played by Eimear Clarke.

When she auditioned for the part, Eimear, a product of the Dundalk Youth Theatre, did not think she had much chance of getting the role, but she did, and is now really looking forward to her first major role on the big stage. No doubt the staff and her fellow students in “The Lughaidh” will be wishing her the best of luck.

The show is directed by Edwina Albrecht and Pat McKenna, assisted by Marcella Harrison, Gerard Fleming, Trevor Lee, Diane Lynch, Felicity Fisher, Mary Tansey, Millie O’Hagan, David McKenna, Rosaleen Quigley, Sarah Tansey, Paddy Craven, Jim Quigley, Mary Reilly, and Marian Kieran.

The play runs from Thursday November 5th to Sunday November 8th. At 8.00 PM.

Admission is 12.00 Euro and a special rate of 5,00 Euro for Students.

Tickets are available from Cotters Furniture, Distillery Lane, Dundalk. Phone Number 042 9339260.