The programme, each night, will run from 8:30pm nightly, except on the final night, when the programme will begin sharp at 8:00pm.
This year the festival committee are pleased to welcome, as Adjudicator, a member of ADA (Association of Drama Adjudicators), namely Mr Peter O’Driscoll.
No stranger to the County Tipperary Drama Festival; Mr O’Driscoll has been an Actor, Designer and Director with many companies including the ‘Strand Players’. For twenty years he has been ‘Head of Drama’ in St. Patrick’s College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin; holding responsibility for equipping and maintaining the very fine theatre facilities available there, while also directing many of their performances. He has contributed to the post-graduate ‘Theatre Studies Programme’, operating workshops on Authentic Voice Training; on Directing, and on Acting. His main work was in preparing student teachers to use Drama as a method of education.
Engaged by the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) as an adjudicator; Mr O’Driscoll’s professional work as a lighting designer, has included work undertaken in the ‘Gate Theatre’, ‘Olympia Theatre’ and ‘Gaiety Theatre’.
He also has considerable experience as a musician, a choral director and as an organist; having directed a wide range of musicals in Dublin and throughout the country in the past. In the Dublin Arts Club, he played the lead in a new play about the Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher, Leoš Janáček(1854 – 1928).
County Tipperary Drama Festival Programme 2023.
Friday 17th: (Confined); Harvest Moon Players; “God of Carnage“ by Yasmina Reza. Saturday 18th: (Open); Prosperous; “Oleanna” by David Mamet. Sunday 19th: (Open); Holycross/Ballycahill; “A skull in Connemara” by Martin McDonagh. Monday 20th: (Open); Brideview; “The Father” by Florian Zeller. Tuesday 21st: (Confined); Cill Dara; “I Do Not Like Thee Dr Fell” by Bernard Farrell. Wednesday 22nd: (Open); Hinterland; “The Playboy of The Western World” by J.M. Synge. Thursday 23rd: (Open); Thurles; “The Seafarer” by Conor McPhearson. Friday 24th: (Open); Kilmeen; “Blithe Spirit” by Noel Coward. Saturday 25th: (Open); Lifford; “When Elephants Collide” by Edward Flanagan.
For further information: Phone: 086-257 5159 or Email: donal@dugganvet.ie or Fax: 0504-43147
A massive congratulations must go to the three Thurles performers, namely Thurles actress Ms Kerry Condon and Thurles actors Mr Brendan Gleeson and Mr Pat Shortt, latter whom today contributed to the awarding of no less than 9 Academy Award nominations, for the film “The Banshees Of Inisherin”.
Ms Kerry Condon.
The nine nominations are as follows:-
Best Director: Martin McDonagh. Best Movie: “The Banshees of Inisherin”. Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Farrell. Film Editing: Mikkel E. G. Nielsen. Best Supporting Actors: Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan. Best Supporting Actress: Kerry Condon. Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh. Original Score: Carter Burwell.
In all Ireland had a record day in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, picking up in total 14 nominations in advance of this year’s Oscars.
An Cailín Ciúin( Irish – ‘The Quiet Girl’ ) has made history by becoming the first Irish-language film ever to be nominated as ‘Best International Film’. Maynooth born, Irish actor Mr Paul Mescal has been nominated as best actor for his role in “Aftersun”. Irish animator, Mr Richard Baneham has been nominated in the best-visual-effects race for Avatar: ‘The Way of Water’. Dublin’s Mr Jonathan Redmond alongside Australian film editor Mr Matt Villa, has been nominated in the best-editing category for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’. Hailing from England and Ireland respectively, co-writer/directors Mr Tom Berkeley and Mr Ross White’s Northern Irish film ‘An Irish Goodbye’; shot in rural Northern Ireland, has been nominated for ‘Best Live-Action Short’.
Actor Peter Bowles in the role of Major Sinclair Yeates, in “The Irish R.M.” [1983–1985]
Star of “The Irish R.M.”, and author Mr Peter Bowles has sadly died from cancer, yesterday March 16th, at the age of 85 years. The actor whose career began with RADA at the Old Vic is survived by wife of some 60 years Sue, together with his three children Guy, Adam and Sasha.
The well-known and much loved charismatic actor of stage and screen will possibly be best remembered, playing the character of ‘Mr Richard DeVere’, starring opposite Penelope Keith as ‘Ms Margo Leadbetter’, in the smash-hit sitcom, “To The Manor Born”, which saw audiences of some 20 million viewers during its twenty-one episodes.
Starting his career at the Old Vic Theatre in 1956, he starred in 45 theatrical productions retiring at the age of 81 in “The Exorcist” at the Phoenix Theatre, having worked consistently on stage and screen, as the typical English gent, wearing a trademark moustache, in the British sitcoms including, “Only When I Laugh”, “The Bounder” and the TV drama “Lytton’s Diary”, which he devised himself.
From 1958 – 2021, Mr Bowles starred in some 42 films and well over 100 Television series, as well as receiving awards & honours including: – RADA Scholarship (1954); Madge Kendal Prize (1955); ITV Personality of the Year (1983); Male Comedy Star Award (1983); The Golden Gate Award (San Francisco International Film Festival, 1993) and an Hon. Doctor of Letters (Nottingham Trent University, 2002).
His book titles include the autobiography: “Ask Me if I’m Happy” and “Behind the Curtain: The Job of Acting”.
The prestigious County Tipperary Open Drama Festival returns to St Michael’s Community Theatre, in Holycross, Thurles again, after a lapse of two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Tipperary Open Drama Festival this year will run from Friday, March 18th, to Saturday, March 26th, starting nightly at 8:30pm, [except for the final night when it begins at 8:00pm, when awards will be presented].
It is also a return to centre stage for Mr Donal Duggan, who is Holycross Festival Director once again, for this prestigious festival, which has for decades attracted Ireland’s top drama Groups, staging first class plays by some of the theatre world’s most popular authors.
Having adjudicated across the length and breadth of Ireland, and having supported and nurtured a host of travelling players, Ms Anna Walker has agreed to adjudicate at this year’s Co. Tipperary Open Drama Festival, to the delight of the organisers. Ms Walker, has performed on stage, screen and television, having first trod the boards as an amateur actress with The Olivian Players, in Dublin, where she won a host of best acting awards.
Plays & Players.
Friday, March 18th, (Open), “The Beacon”, by Nancy Harris, (Ballycogley Players).
Saturday, March 19th, (Open), “The Door on the Left”, by Killian McGuinness, (Carrigallen D. G.).
Sunday, March 20th (Open),“Conversations on a Homecoming”, by Tom Murphy, (Kilmeen D. G.).
Monday, March 21st (Confined), “Little Gem”, by Elaine Murphy, (Kilrush D. G.).
Tuesday, March 22nd, (Open)“The Beauty Queen of Leenane”, by Martin McDonagh, (Brideview D. G.).
Wednesday, March 23rd, (Confined)“Quite Moment”, by Mick Finn, (Kilworth D. S.).
Thursday, March 24th, (Confined), “One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest”, by Dale Wassermann, (Mullingar D. G.).
Friday, March 25th (Open)“Brighton”, by Jim Nolan, (Skibbereen T. S.).
Saturday, March 26th, (Confined), “The Kings of Kilburn High Road”, by Jimmy Murphy (Camross D. G.)
Admission: €15 euro. Season Ticket: €70 euro. Concession: €12 euro. For further information – Tel: 086 2575159.
English actor John Spurley Challis (1942 – 2021), best known for portraying Terrance Aubrey “Boycie” Boyce in the long-running BBC Television sitcom “Only Fools and Horses”(1981–2003) has sadly passed away today, at the age of 79 years, following a battle with cancer.
Mr Challis will also be long remembered from the “Only Fools and Horses” spin-off “The Green Green Grass”, as well as “Monty Staines” in the ITV sitcom ‘Benidorm’.
Announcing the passing of Mr Challis, his family stated: “It is with heavy hearts that we bring you such sad news. Our dear friend and yours, John Challis, has died peacefully in his sleep, after a long battle with cancer. He will always be loved for being ‘Boycie’ and leaves a great legacy of work that will continue to bring pleasure and smiles for many years to come. Please respect the privacy of John’s family and friends at this difficult time, and be assured that in the future there will be an occasion to celebrate John’s life, when everyone will be welcome to come along.”
Co-star Sir David Jason also paid tribute to Mr Challis, labelling him “a wonderful actor” and also “a gentleman in the true sense of the word.”
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