Mayo woman's new play on stage at Westival

A NEW play, On The Road To De-Mask-Us, written and directed by Fiona Hoban, is to feature at this year’s Westival.

Set in Ballinabuck, a rural town in Co Mayo, the play follows some of its residents as they come to terms with an impending two-week Covid-19 lockdown. However, as the months roll by and the stress increases, the age-old search for love and romance continues, not to mention the ever-elusive Sam Maguire Cup.

Fiona, originally from Castlebar, wrote the play earlier this year with many rehearsals held over Zoom or in Fiona’s back garden in Kilmeena, Westport.

“Talk about life imitating art,” she says. “There’s a scene in the play that involves a Zoom call, and because of the Covid restrictions the cast had to rehearse the Zoom call scene whilst being on a Zoom call themselves!”

Tickets are on sale on https://westival.ie/ for both shows in Westport Town Hall Theatre on Tuesday, October 19, and Wednesday, October 20, at 8 p.m. People are advised to book early as there is a limit of 60% of seating allowed due to current Covid restrictions.