Rebirth and resurrection

Belturbet Dramatic Society to stage back to back shows

A single production after years of silence might pass for a comeback. Three, staged back-to-back on the same night, feels closer to a rebirth.

After rekindling their shared creative spark late last year, Belturbet Dramatic Society surges back with ‘The Resurrection Sessions’, lighting up Belturbet Townhall from April 10–12.

Supported by Cavan Arts, ‘The Tangler in Court’ anchors the programme, a one-act comedy written by the late, award-winning local playwright Brendan McCann. While The Resurrection Sessions pulses with fresh energy, staging Tangler is a nod to McCann’s enduring influence and the foundations he helped lay.

“It’s part of the local legacy,” accepts director Ruairí Devlin. “It was written in Belturbet, for local performers, and first staged in the courthouse itself. We’re honouring that, but we’re also not afraid to reimagine it. There’s something exciting about bringing a fresh eye to something so familiar.”

First written in 1999 and last staged in 2009 in the old courtroom - before the Civic Centre’s renovation saw the space transformed into a modern library - Tangler returns with renewed energy. A new cast steps into well-worn shoes: Nora Bartley as the judge, Joe Henry as Tangler, and Cormac Reilly as the ambitious, sharp-edged sergeant.

For Joe Henry, the role carries a personal resonance. His late mother Josie was the one who got him into drama.

“Though ‘got me into it’ might be generous - she tricked me into a reading that turned out to be an audition. I didn’t stand a chance,” he laughs.

“I did a few years, then life took me away - London, work, everything. I was gone over 20 years. Coming back, stepping into this role, its special.”

There’s also a sense of theatrical inheritance.

“My old flatmate [Phil] played Tangler years ago. I remember watching him learning off the part. Now it’s me, trying to learn the lines,” he grins. “There’s a place for everyone here. You just have to take that first step - and before you know it, you’re part of something.”

That same spirit ripples across the entire production.

“It’s been years since I was on stage,” admits Nora Bartley. “You forget how much joy there is in it - the nerves, the laughter, even the mistakes. Especially the mistakes,” she adds with a smile.

Three Plays, One Night

The Resurrection Sessions opens with 'Dum Vivimus Vivamus'- Latin for “While we live, let us live'- a reflective piece by playwright Nicola Keane. Directed by Devlin, it explores relationships, silences, and emotional currents of everyday life. Joe's nephew, Tony, making him the third generation of Henrys involved with the society, stars alongside Noeleen Shannon, and Mark Connolly.

From there, the tone pivots. To 'The Make Up Song', written by Devlin, and overseen by Tony in his directorial debut, and stars Val McCaul, Una O'Connor and Brian McDermott.

For Tony, stepping into the director’s role has been both daunting and energising.

“You go from focusing on lines to suddenly seeing everything,” he says. “How it all fits together - it’s different.”

The play itself reflects on ageing in theatre, giving voice to performers who may have stepped out of the spotlight - but whose experience still burns quietly beneath the surface.

“In a lot of groups, parts get fewer as people get older,” Devlin explains. “This piece pushes back against that. It says that experience matters. Their stories matter.”

The night closes with ‘The Tangler in Court’.

Learning by Doing

If the plays offer variety in tone, the production itself tells another story altogether - how a community has come together united by one creative force.

“We’ve a cast of three - and a crew of thousands,” Devlin jokes.

Without the original courthouse setting, the production team turned to Belturbet’s Men’s Shed to craft a convincing courtroom from scratch.

For many, ‘The Resurrection Sessions’ marks a first: first time acting, directing, running lights, or stepping behind the scenes.

“That’s how it works,” says Tony, embodying the all-hands-on-deck nature of small-town theatre. “If everything runs smoothly, no one notices. That’s kind of the point. But when you step back and see it all come together, it’s worth it.”