Full Length Amateur Drama Festival Circuit 2011

poteen

Well the Circuit for 2011 got underway last night in Rush with Gorey Little Theatre peforming 'The Heiress'. Kilmuckridge is beginning tonight with the home group performing the field and a few two more festivals starting tomorrow night. Its hard to believe it has come about so quickly!

Vinny-Chase

I checked out most of the shows in the Kildare festival last week (bar 2) and have to say that the best overall acting I seen was in Lovers At Versaille in the confined section. Had the strongest ensemble cast. It appears that most groups seem to be having to put in whatever "actors" they have, as some plays were let down by some really bad actors.

Be interested to hear people's thoughts on stuff they have seen.

observe

So, an American play may may well take the top honours in Athlone... I think at the end of the day it will be down to has the strongest ensemble cast.

cavalcaders

I have to admit after seeing Ballyduffs production of all my sons I certainly wouldn't rule them out!!!.....They have a fantastic piece and their acting is top class!!! keep an eye on them!!!

Vinny-Chase

Can't go wrong with any Arthur Miller play.

observe

Oh some groups have made a hash of Miller in the past. At the moment it looks like a Mamet/ Kushner battle in the open.

Vinny-Chase

I meant in terms of; can't go wrong with a Miller play, in terms of quality. It's up to the groups to do the play justice. Justice that his plays deserve

observe

@Vinny Chase - yes you are right, Miller is a brilliant playwright. This weekend will bring more clarity to who is in!

cavalcaders

I certainly wouldn't say its a two horse race...............because its all down to one judgement....... everyone seems to beating each other!!!...I would say this is one of the most open competition in years!!!...........

You cant rule out the likes of kilmeen cornmill and ballyduff, these groups have been around too long, their experienced and if they get there they will all feel they have a great chance of winning along with Silken thomas and Prosperous and others!!!

Vinny-Chase

I don't think it comes down to how long a group has been around. It comes down to smart play choice and intelligent casting.

Any one else see any more plays?

Vinny-Chase

I didn't see Silken Thomas but heard people discussing it after seeing it. It's the same old thing as usual. It's what they do. I'm sure most groups could head off and copy any professional production verbatim. Not my thing I have to say.

Prosperous are doing November aren't they? The guy playing the president gets my vote for best actor! Best I seen in all the plays in Kildare. And I would be a very harsh judge of actors

observe

Haven't seen Ballyduff or Kilmeen. If justice is done it will be ensemble acting that wins through.

Vinny-Chase

cavalcaders wrote: »

...his assessment :-)

Ya i'm not a fan of people heading over to Broadway or the west end either and coming back with a copy n paste version!!!......Where is the creativity??......Taking a piece and making it ur own is what it is all about... putting your own stamp on it!!

But at the end of the day competition is competition and if it works!!...........I feel sorry for groups who take risks and don't get the credit they deserve, at least their version is original.

Couldn't agree more!

You can never account for some adjudications. When I did Lonesome West there a couple of years ago, the group won 6 of 8 I think it was and the other 2 they weren't even in the top 3! Likewise another play I did years ago. 7 of 8 and not in the top 3 in the other one.

brightspark

Does anyone else think that 'good' plays are more likely to win than plays that arn't so well written.
(by good I mean well written with good plots, well drawn characters, good dialogues etc. )

I have on at least one occasion heard an adjudicator tell the director of a play that they should have 'cut' some lines from the play to improve it.

I know that some playwrights don't care as long as they get the royalties and others have redrafted their plays over time, but there are also many who quite rightly insist that their play must be performed as written so I don't think an amateur group should really deviate from the playwright's intention.

Vinny-Chase

I don't think writer's work should be touched at all. You choose a play, go with it. It's not up to you (the group/ adjudicator) to deviate from that.

Didn't Mc Donagh pull the rights to his stuff a few years ago because someone added something into Cripple...or something like that.

poteen

Adjudicators are not meant to judge on the play or if they like it or not. Its what the company did with the play that counts although ive heard alot of adjudications this year where the adjudicator has said they havnt liked the play etc etc and no doubt about it - there results are influenced. If they love for example a writer like Brian Friel & Mc Donagh- There is a great chance that that company will get placed no matter what.

In relation to Athlone, i cant see 'November' winning it. They are very reluctant to give it to comedy in athlone. For me, the Silken show is just not strong enough in the female acting department. There isnt enough balance. I also sense a mood that people are moving against Silken now. This always happens if your successful. Very Similar to The Man Utd haters. If your on top, people want you to fall and so people are looking to pick holes in Silkens production. I feel that no matter what the result this year, they need to move away from copy cat productions of west end and broadway shows. Its no secret that their History Boys, Equus and now Angels shows are very copy cat in certain ways. They dont need to do this. They should trust themselves to take on a play from scratch with their own style. They have the actors (male). What does worry me for them is that 'Philadelphia Here I come' Was there only trip away from West end in recent years and that was their worst show. A truly awful interpretation of Friels Classic. They now need to prove they are not a one trick pony that rely on Gimics.

For me, the open section could go in the Direction of Bangor (A View From the Bridge) or Kilmeen (A Whistle in the Dark). I dont think Cornmills Beauty Queen has the killer blow needed in Athlone. But the man adjudicating Athlone this year has thrown up some very strange results in the past so Standby!

In Relation to the Confined Section, There are alot of results going to dictate the table this weekend . There are alot of groups with one win who are looking to get over the line.

Vinny-Chase

I would be well impressed if an adjudicator gave a win to a play they DIDN'T like!

Philadelphia... was fairly bad alright. ST have always had problems getting women actors.

I can't see November getting it because some of their actors are very weak. I think who ever has the strongest over all cast should be in with the best shot. But, who knows what goes through the mind of the final adjudicator.

I can only go off the few that I seen in the confined section but Lovers At Versaille would get my nod. I thought the last 1/4 was a bit meh, but that's just the play, but in terms of production & acting I thought it was the best that I seen.

cavalcaders

So it looks like we have our 9 finalists although one (wexford) will have to sweat it out for at least another few days!!....Thoughts?

giggs2

prosperous will probably win in newry. ballyduff realy good. silken thomas adventurous as ever. really admire them. kilmeen can not be dismissed. corn mill have very strong cast. having said all that prosperous will probably win athlone

cavalcaders

Well I havent seen the prosperous or the bangor show or the Bradan show but have seen the rest and for me it is between B Duff and Kilmeen.......both have beaten each other so it will be close.

Ok i Know i cant sit on the fence....................il go for Ballyduff......think they have learnt from their projection mistake last yr........and will go one place better than they did last yr!!

a plum

poteen wrote: »

Prosperous - You wont win Athlone when your two supporting actors are weak (one in particular) in a 5 person cast.

I'm a member of Prosperous and I think it important to address this statement as it has been presented as some sort of fact when it is simply an opinion. We all know opinions are like A-holes and that every discussion board has one - but this particular point of view in no way reflects our experience on the road - so for the record
We have 5 cast members - one appears for five minutes at the close and his impactful performance has been praised universally by all 7 adjudicators. The other 4 actors have each been nominated multiple times (thats a number of times each) on the circuit and each of them has WON acting awards at least once on our travels with November.
We assume nothing with regard to Athlone - we are just genuinely proud to be there and intend to give it our best.

jorg

Totally agree with a plum.

Everyone is entitled to express their opinion - "this play is better than that one" etc but I think the line should be drawn on commenting on an individuals performance.

I assume that everyone posting here is or has been involved in the festival circuit and will appreciate the extra pressure over and above just doing the play locally. It's difficult standing in the wings after a show and hearing yourself being adjudicated on without having it discussed on a public forum.

All the groups in Athlone have earned their spot and as a plum says are proud and delighted to be there.

At the end of it all, its one mans opinion!

TrailerBob

jorg wrote: »

At the end of it all, its one mans opinion!

Here here, don't think individual comment has a place here, especially based on seeing one performance which may or may not be representative of all 6 or 7. John P Kelly will make up his mind and God alone knows what answer he'll come up with. Form often counts for nothing in the final. There are definitely 5 seriously strong shows that I have come across, but who knows. Best of luck to all in Athlone, its all to play for!!

poteen

My previous Post has been removed.

Apologies to anybody offended as it was not the writers intention. Everybody knows how hard it is been under scrutiny from audiences and adjudicators . I have the height of respect for all groups/ Actors / Crews performing in Athlone and who are there on Merit. Perhaps I typed a bit too freely and just transferred all my thoughts to the forum.

Vinny-Chase

jorg wrote: »

Everyone is entitled to express their opinion - "this play is better than that one" etc but I think the line should be drawn on commenting on an individuals performance.

Why would you think that Jorg?

Surely every comment is a comment on somebody's work. The overall play, the director or writer, lighting etc is critical of the lighting person. I don't think the individual's performance should be exempt from this. Actor's tend to be a pussy bunch at the best of times I speak as an actor. If you're putting yourself up there you have to be prepared to hear the good with the bad. And I've been up there, waited in the wings, won some awards and have had adjudicators really not like what I've done. But you have to take it on the chin. I've never taken it personally, as long as a negative opinion is not expressed maliciously. At the end of the day, bad acting is bad acting and that's just a fact, not an opinion.

I will respect any one who gets up on the stage, but you're putting yourself up there, knowing the game.

TrailerBob

I agree that opinions are valid but if the actors have picked up awards in other festivals maybe its the case that they had an off night when they were seen by poteen, I think the issue was the sweeping statement which has been withdrawn. No offence intended but I saw Bradans one act - a number, last year on its first festival and didn't think much of it, but in Dundrum it was definitely improved and well earned the win, Shows what I know!!

Vinny-Chase

There's no accounting for some adjudicator's taste is all I can say.
It's to up an actor NOT to have an off night. If you have an off night, your "art" will suffer and so you should be prepared to face the criticism that comes as a result.

TrailerBob

True, but realistically we all have had performances that were below our best for whatever reasons. Luckily for Prosperous you're not an adjudicator this year! I would have thought that any group with severe weakness in acting would not be getting a lot if wins. 15 adjudicators can't be wrong about the top 3.

Vinny-Chase

Yeah exactly we all have off nights, so you can't complain if somebody criticises you for it. Actually UNLUCKILY for Prosperous I'm not an adjudicator, because I'd probably give them the win, from the few that I seen.

Sometimes being the best is just being better than the rest. Could be weaker actors, in weaker plays that don't post any competition.

And for the record I'm not picking on Prosperous, I'm picking on any bad actors in any shows. Prosperous by far had the best actor I seen, in their President.

TrailerBob

Fair point. President is very good alright, as is the young guy in Silkens show. will be interesting in Athlone as some groups haven't met yet. What do people think about the draw, any superstitions about final night, I've heard some groups try to avoid it.