Four-night run of Thy Will Be Done in Westport
ST. Patrick’s Drama Group return to the stage in their native Westport this week for a four-night run with a reprise of one of their finest productions in recent years, Thy Will Be Done.
The play, which commences this evening (Wednesday) at Westport Town Hall Theatre, is being presented as a tribute to Martin Curry, a co-founder of the drama group in 1964 and a man who played one of the play’s four roles when it was first staged in 2001.
Written by Headford native Michael Carey, Thy Will Be Done is a classic true to life story that reflects a facet of Irish life not unusual even in today’s modern world.
Thy title may suggest a religious content but no, it refers to the document prepared where one proposed to leave one's wordly goods to a relative.
The story revolves around the quite separate lives of two elderly brothers who, because of a family dispute, have not spoken to each other for many years. Following an unfortunate incident regarding the burning of a hayshed, Peteen, the younger and bullying brother, contrived to have his more docile brother Jack banished to a barely habitable converted outhouse.
Bride Lavin, and elderly spinster, employed as a home help by the Western Health Board, calls daily to both brothers. Peteen’s son, Martin, works with his father on their large farm but is a regular visitor to his uncle Jack’s humble abode.
The story takes a dramatic turn when Martin’s mother (and Peteen’s ex-wife) becomes ill in New York and a family secret she has harboured raises doubts about the future of the family farm. A dramatic and unexpected ending bears all the hallmarks of a classic Agatha Christie thriller, and is just as compelling.
This play has everything a dramatic and entertaining play should have - comedy, anger, frustration, poignancy, sadness, aggression, and a hint of romance.
The hugely experienced cast give sterling performances in their roles. Gertie Foley is superb as the laconic, droll home help with a hard sarcastic exterior and a scheming mind, but she possesses a soft heart. Lennie Grimes is superb as the downtrodden brother Jack - his performance is one of his best yet. Tony Varley plays the arrogant, bullying Peteen to perfection and his confrontations with his brother Jack are superbly handled. Paul Dunning, playing Peteen’s son Martin, brings a vibrant and youthful dimension to the story and he expertly picks his way through the plot to reveal a surprising ending.
This is amateur drama at its best and indeed it equals and surpasses many professional productions in both content and quality. Fintan MacMahon directs and the producer is Rosaleen Heraty. The play opens at Westport Town Hall Theatre today (Wednesday) and runs until Saturday (January 27), commencing at 8 p.m. nightly. To book, telephone (098) 28459 or visit www.westporettheatre.com.