'Theft' a tour de force
It was never going to be anything but an excellent show. That's what we expect from Kilcullen Drama Group. It is what they have made us feel entitled to. A dangerous thing that.
And I guess that just before every production, those involved get seriously scared that this might be the one with which they fail.
Well, 'Theft' has finished its run now. And they can relax. It has been another tour de force. Another superb piece of professional theatre from some of the best amateurs in the business.
This time the crew were Bernard Berney, Fergal Sloan, Esther Dooley, Philomena Breslin and Vivian Clarke. But of course, there were many more in the background, as usual, headed up by Mischa Fekete who took over directing soon after rehearsals began.
'Theft' is a moral tale, as are most such comedies from Eric Chappel and his writer peers. Simple in concept and philosophical in execution. And very translatable to modern Ireland from the original, especially by Bernard Berney who played the obvious villian of the piece, the burglar Thaddeus Quill. Captured by Celtic Tiger developer Vivian Clarke and his wife and their houseguests in the course of robbing the businessman's home.
While trying to persuade his release from each of his captors in turn, constantly at the end of a gun held by one or other of them, Quill uses his knowledge of human nature, along with what he has found during his ransacking of the house, to show that he is not the only villian there. Indeed, he may well be the least dishonest of them all. After all, he is just what he is, while each of the others lives in an identity of secrets.
Bringing the Irish situation today into almost every line, and being right up to date including the recent unparliamentary outburst by 'Go-Go' Gogarty in the Dail chamber, both highlighted the recent wrongs that have been, and still are being perpetrated on the ordinary people of the nation by the powerful in every sector, and gave us the chance to laugh loudly at them. At the moment, laughter is a scarce and very important commodity.
At the end of the evening, Bernard made a surprise presentation to Madge Clarke, acknowledging not just her own and the late Harry's lifetime involvement with the Drama Group, but also that of two more generations of the Clarke family. Bankers, politicians and bishops may come and go and fleetingly cause us grief in the guise of looking after our interests, but it is that kind of communbity commitment that really sustains us all.
Once again, on behalf of the audiences, thank you all.
Brian Byrne.
