Kilcullen Drama bends the gender gap

It has been the war cry between the genders since speech was invented, writes Brian Byrne. “You don’t understand me!” And truly, men and women just don’t understand each other.

But what if, through some magic, a couple switched bodies for a while? Husband transformed, personality and all, into wife’s body. Wife ditto into husband’s body. Maybe the experience would lead to true understanding?

Or maybe not. Anyhow, that’s the premise on which Kilcullen Drama Group’s latest play is based. Through the alchemy of his imagination, playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘If I Were You’ teases out just this scenario.

And for director Evelyn O’Sullivan, this meant making the central pair in her cast try to, figuratively, get inside each other’s skins.

It’s a tough job, even with such accomplished local amateur actors as John Coleman and Siobhan O’Brien in the main roles. For instance, watching John Coleman trying to follow Evelyn’s directions on how a woman walks was hilarious during recent rehearsals.

“Let your wrist hang loose. Walk from the hips.” Evelyn demonstrated (“I know how, after all I am a woman”).

“I think I need a skirt,” John muttered at one point as he attempted to emulate his director’s sexy stride.

But Evelyn, who operates the Drama Dynamics youth theatre school in Kilcullen, knows how to do the tough stuff too. She showed Siobhan O’Brien how to throw a punch at Conor McMahon, and how Conor could make it a realistic slap before falling to the ground. One got the feeling Siobhan was enjoying this as they practiced. Maybe too much?

Newcomer Aaron Talt at 16 is the youngest member of this particular cast, playing the young son of the main couple, opposite Charlene Kilroy as his sister. She made a serious impact in last year’s production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’, while Aaron has a track record with Drama Dynamics, among other things drama.

The Kilcullen Drama Group has for many decades provided excellent entertainment a couple of times a year, both in comedic and serious theatre. Their runs are always sellouts.

It looks like they’re going to do it again. The Gala opening night is tonight. It runs until December 3.

Tickets from Bernard Berney Chemists 045 481497.


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