Audiences Asking For More: Clondalkin Drama Group delighted with production

The talented cast and crew associated with Clondalkin Drama Group were delighted to present their show ‘Off Their Trollies’ (a production of two one-act plays, ‘The Room’ by Jake Kelly and ‘Bags and Browning’ by Jenny Molloy) in Quinlan’s The Black Lion Pub from September 25 to September 28, writes Ryan Butler.

Their first performance was ‘The Room’, a twenty-minute piece that explored the relationships between four distinct women who were all brought to what at first glance seemed to be a harmless waiting room but turned out to be much more than that.

Together with their more seasoned members, Jenny Molloy and Nicola Brennan, the production included the stage debuts of Clara Murphy and Stephanie Farrell. Every actress infused the characters with life, with Sylvia Purnell’s (Jenny) frenzied energy matching Helen Light’s (Nicola) more worn-out passiveness. Through it all, the stoic Emily Walker (Clara) broke down, matched with Sally Green’s (Stephanie) anxiousness.

Jake states that “it was a brilliant performance overall, one that left audiences reeling and asking for more.”

With the assistance of Frances Tuffery, a longtime member of the Clondalkin Drama group for more than 30 years, Mary Smith, also known as the Bard of the South Bank, was brought to life in ‘Bags and Browning.’

Located in south London, the show gave viewers a peek into the lives of Mary and her true love, Charlie (John O’Connor), both in the past and in the present. Mary’s life took a difficult turn following Charlie’s passing, and audiences can observe how this led to her current state of homelessness.

The brilliant members of the ensemble brought to life a variety of characters that viewers came to love and detest throughout the programme.

Jake Kelly, who typically portrays happy, endearing characters, revealed a darker side when he played the desperate character of James.

Following their prior performances in ‘The Room’, Stephanie Farrell and Clara Barry Murphy made an appearance in ‘Bags and Browning’, although their roles were significantly different from those in the previous production.

The participants showed remarkable adaptability in their ability to change roles in the two shows.

The entire play was quite emotional, with occasional moments of humour interspersed.

Jenny states that “we were very lucky over the four performances to have such amazing audiences, even during Storm Agnes.”

The group will soon begin preparation for their pantomime performance at Moyle Park College in January 2024.

More information will be available on their social media pages.

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