Breffni Players and Phoenix Players face off in a night of theatre at The Dock

Two local drama groups are going head-to-head in Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday, October 18 as Breffni Players and Phoenix Players share the stage for a night of theatre, dark humour and sharp storytelling at The Dock.

The Breffni Players open the double bill with In Loving Memory, a brand-new play by John McDwyer that’s never been staged before. Directed by Barry Deignan and performed by Valerie Traynor and Louise O’Callaghan, this 45-minute two-hander is set in a cemetery, where two strangers cross paths and a story of love, loss and unanswered questions slowly unfolds. One tragedy connects two very different lives — but can either of them find a future buried in the past?

“This is a brand-new play that’s never been seen before, so it’s really exciting to premiere it here,” said Breffni Players chairperson Louise O’Callaghan. “We’re staging it in preparation for the One Act Festival Circuit, which starts in November. We’ll be performing at festivals in Ballina, Kilshima, Mullagh, Cavan, Ballinamhan in Longford, and Manorhamilton here in Leitrim — all leading up to the All-Ireland finals in Tubbercurry at the start of December.”

Founded in 1943, the Breffni Players have staged at least one production every year (except during the pandemic) and continue to bring new, locally rooted drama to Carrick-on-Shannon audiences more than 80 years later.

The second half of the night sees Phoenix Players from Tubbercurry take the stage with The Dumb Waiter, Harold Pinter’s classic one-act dark comedy. Performed by Frank Brennan and Roger D. McCarrick and directed by Mary Barry, the play follows two hitmen, Ben and Gus, as they wait in a windowless basement for their next job. But when mysterious food orders begin to arrive via a dumb waiter, the pair are forced to question their roles in a larger, unseen system. Tense, absurd and darkly funny, Pinter’s play explores power, loyalty and the silences between words.

The Phoenix Players, one of Ireland’s longest-running amateur drama groups, are celebrating their 80th anniversary this year. Formed in 1945, they’ve competed on the drama circuit for decades — including a win at the 2021 All-Ireland One-Act (Confined) Finals.

Both groups will meet again on the festival circuit, competing in the same confined category this winter. “We’re actually up against each other, which is funny,” O’Callaghan said. “This performance is a great run-through before we hit the road, but of course we’d both love to qualify for the All-Irelands.”

Neither group receives funding for touring, so ticket sales from shows like this help cover the cost of competing. “We don’t get funding to go on the road — it’s all funded through the group,” said O’Callaghan. “Thankfully, our recent shows have sold out, so we’re in a good position right now.”

From the emotional weight of In Loving Memory to the sharp, unsettling humour of The Dumb Waiter, this double bill promises an engaging night of theatre as two local groups warm up for the All-Ireland stage — and go head-to-head in the process.

READ NEXT: Planning decision expected soon on proposed residential development in Leitrim town