| Geraldine Greene's wonderfully colourful,
energetic and vibrant production of George Fitzmaurice's strange fantasy won the
All-Ireland 1-Act title in December 2004. This dramatic folk fantasy introduces
us to the people of a remote glen who mingle with the characters of their own
fireside stories. Roger Carmody has sacrificed his family to his passion
for doll-making and after forty years of it his house is a hovel and his wife
has written him off as a "mangy vomiting snooker". Not one doll has
he ever sold. Every attempt Roger makes to finish his Dandy Doll is defeated by
the Hag of Bearna and her Son in their endless conflict with the Three Grey Men
on the Island of Doon. In the course of the play, Roger's house becomes
the centre of a magical battle for possession of the doll between the semi-legendary
powers of the Hag, her Son and the Three Grey Man of the Island of Doon. Another
participant, Fr. James tries to rout the forces of superstition by baptising the
doll: his exorcism fails and in the farcically macabre final scene the hovel goes
up in smoke & both Roger & his Doll are spirited away to the Barna Hills. The
Ennis Players production starred: - Joe Varden as Roger Carmody
- Bernie
Harten as Cauth (Roger's wife)
- Mary Neylon as The Child
- John Finn
as The Grey Man
- Arthur Ford as The Priest (Fr. James)
- Hugh Gallagher
as Keerby
- Ciaran O'Flaherty as Timeen
- Jackie Scanlan as The Hag's
Son
- Amy McEnnis as The Hag
Following the All-Ireland success
the production represented Ireland at the World Festival of Amateur Theatre (Mondial
du Theatre) in Monaco in August 2005. This non-competitive festival is held every
four years and was the brain child of the late Prince Rainier who wished to celebrate
the enormous talent and excellence in amateur theatre throughout the world. Prince
Albert is now patron of the festival. To be chosen to represent Ireland at this
prestigious festival was another terrific honour for the Group coming hot on the
heels of their All-Ireland success and their participation in the Abbey centenary
celebrations. In Monaco the Group performed to an international audience
over two nights in the beautiful Princess Grace Theatre in Monte Carlo, following
which they received high praise from the critics.
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