A VALENTINE’S party thrown by College Players at Clarion Hotel celebrated news of its Spring launch ‘Leading Ladies’ at the concert hall, February 29 to March 3. Hosting the evening event were director Joan McGarry with actor Padhraic Hastings and among the invited many were UCH’s team of David Collopy, Emma Foote, Marie Healy; Irish Chamber Orchestra’s Charlotte Eglinton; former College Players Eileen Egan and florist Dan Lawless; deputy Mayor Tom Shortt, man who tickled the valentine theme with laughter; Helen Carey of LCGA and sponsors Ralph and Maureen Parkes of Fine Wines.
Lights strung over the Shannon framed the slideshow by actor Dave Griffin. There were tables of food and wine, speeches by VIP actor/ director Joan Sheehy, cllr. Shortt, the director and Pa Hastings. It was like a scene from the ‘Good Old, Bad Old Days’, speeches unreeling fabulous claims of brilliance and derring-do.
There are expectations of Ken Ludwig’s comedy, given that Joan McGarry is an All Ireland Best Director and her cast – Griffin, Hastings and John Finn – excelled in 2011’s ‘The Seafarer’, and many another. They are joined by Nigel Dugdale, Jean McGlynn, Sinead O’Sullivan and Conor J Ryan. May O’Halloran returns to the stage for her part as the dying milionairess.
McGarry has gathered the finest vocal party possible, so what is College Players at, choosing a comedy and not a musical?
“The writer Ken Ludwig is generally regarded as having inherited the mantle of Neil Simon. He has a massive following in comedy – that’s his stable of writing. Another play of his, ‘Lend Me a Tenor’, was a smash hit in the West End. There’s no singing in ‘Leading Ladies’, a farce, but there is a dance music”.
My eyes roll. McGlynn, Dugdale, Ryan, Hastings.. all robbed of a lyric. McGarry’s cool defence:
“College Players are regarded as a theatre company and we decided to broaden our orbit. We have drawn the best of Limerick’s musical theatre actors to this opportunity to do a straight play. This is also College Players first time in the concert hall, our biggest venue yet, and this production has to know how to fit the space”.
To this end, she credits Michael O’Regan with genius for building “a set that is three times, four times, in height and depth and girth, the size of one we are used to. This impacts on comic timing but I am absolutely blessed with this stunning, wonderful set and cast and crew. Thanks to use of what was Peter Pan World in Crescent Shopping Centre, we have also been able to rehearse on set over the past seven weeks”.
Dave Griffin has a major part as one of the baddies in this ‘fantastically funny, heart warming, energetic comedy”.
“Baddie is a bit harsh,” he admonishes. “These are lovelable baddies. I’m one of a pair (with Nigel Dugdale) of two English Shakesperean actors humping their shows around the States for the past ten years to get a bob. They are heading for LA to audition for Julius Ceasar and realise they can’t afford the flight when they hear of this search for two heiress nieces. Our characters dress up as the women, believing the old lady (May O’Halloran) is about to kick the bucket. She doesn’t and she wants to meet her nieces”.
Out of chaos, comedy, if not clarity, ensues. More revelations before the run ends, Wednesday 29 to Saturday March 3 at UCH, 8pm.
Former College Player Joan Sheehy shoulders press for ‘Leading Leadies’ with Padhraic Hastings and David Griffin.
