One Act Drama Festival returns to Cavan

The curtain rises on the Cavan One Act Drama Festival from Friday, November 7 to Sunday, November 9, at the Townhall Arts Centre, Cavan.

Organised by the Cavan Drama Festival Committee, whose motto is 'National talent, on your local stage!', the weekend promises a rich mix of plays from across the country.

“We have an amazing line-up of plays this year from groups travelling from all over the country – North and South,” said Rachael Cullivan, Chairperson of the Cavan Drama Festival Committee. “It’s a marvellous opportunity to see an incredible variety of performances from different genres.”

The festival opens on Friday, November 7, with Beehive Productions’ debut play, Nancy Friday, an original dark comedy by Mark Yeates. The story follows a burglar who gets more than he bargained for after breaking into the home of a mysterious woman, leading to a darkly comic power struggle.

Tickets are €15 per evening or €20 for a weekend pass. “If you buy a season ticket for all three sessions and see all ten plays, it’s effectively costing you just €3 per performance!” said Ms Cullivan.

“All plays are under 55 minutes, giving audiences time to chat and connect during the intervals. We have three plays on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, and four on Saturday night.”

She strongly recommends buying tickets in advance, but tickets would be available on the night as well.

Willow

The Saturday session will feature a special local highlight: 'Willow', a prize-winning play by Cavan dramatist and committee member Catherine McKiernan.

It's set in a small seaside town in the west of Ireland on one day in 2019. It is a play about relationships, friendships, family and love. Willow is a story about the past, future and the present. It is about the truth, lies and everything in between - exploring the idea that “our truth may not always be the truth".

The Navan Theatre Company is performing ‘From Eden’ by Stephen Jones. Set on New Year’s Eve it follows two strangers hiding in a half-finished bathroom as their small talk unfolds into something raw, funny, and unexpectedly intimate - a poignant exploration of faith, trauma, and connection.

This year’s adjudicator is Alan Howley, a professional actor since 1989 and familiar to many from his role as Eoghan O’Brien in RTÉ’s Fair City. Howley has performed nationally and internationally and is an experienced adjudicator on the Irish amateur drama circuit.

“We look forward to hearing his observations and insights that will very much contribute to our understanding and enjoyment of the wonderful drama on stage,” said Ms Cullivan.

All participating groups will be hoping for a coveted place in the All-Ireland finals in Tubbercurry this December.

Approaching 80 years of amateur Festival existence, the Cavan Drama Festival is the second longest-running festival in the country. Ms Cullivan attributes this to the untiring efforts of volunteers involved over the years: “We are all looking forward to a marvellous weekend of theatre. The hard-working committee thanks all our loyal patrons, community businesses, and individuals who continue to support this wonderful tradition.”

Tickets

For more information and tickets, visit townhallartscentre.com