Trim Drama Group presents Keane classic

Trim Drama Group, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, will present John B Keane"s 'The Man from Clare" from 19th-23rd November in the Town Hall, Trim. The play depicts the reaction of a sporting hero to fame and to the passing of the limelight, as a younger, fitter man takes over. It features a mix of romance, comedy and anger, all presented through Keane"s great use of language and unique characters. The play opens on Wednesday 19th November, and all tickets for opening night are priced at €8. Trim Drama Group came into being in 1983, with the first production being 'The Honey Spike", directed by Jerry Kearney. Since that first play was staged, the group, which was then known as Trim Amateur Dramatic Society (TADS), has managed to produce 65 full-length and one-act plays. There have been numerous directors in the intervening years with the group priding itself on encouraging new talent in all aspects of drama production. Unlike some groups, new directors are particularly welcome, with help and encouragement given to them by the more experienced people in the group. The drama group has staged a wide variety of plays, from the stalwart Irish authors such as Sean O"Casey, Brian Friel and John B Keane, to the English farce of Ray Cooney and Alan Ayckbourn and American playwrights like Neil Simon and Thornton Wilder. On a number of occasions, the group has entered the festival circuit, winning the one-act confined final with The Donohue Sisters in 1995. One of the group"s most poignant moments was presenting The Field in Listowel in June 2002, on the day that John B Keane was buried. The group halted the set-building in the theatre, directly across from the church, to stand in silence as the playwright"s remains left on his final journey in his native town. The history of the group is long and varied, and is currently the subject of a book that is at the preparation stage. 'The Man From Clare" will be staged at the Town Hall, Trim, for five nights: Wednesday 19th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November. Tickets (€12/€8 concession) are available from James Allen Hair Design, Haggard Court, Haggard Street, Trim, telephone (046) 943 7503 or at the door.