Hazel Gavigan and Ben Thompson in Sweet Bird of Youth.

Three night run of tennessee williams sweet bird of youth opens tomorrow

With a 19-strong cast, Mullingar Student Players present Tenneessee William’s moving drama - Sweet Bird of Youth - in the Mullingar Arts Centre over a three night run starting tomorrow Thursday September 18 - Saturday September 20.

The plot centres around the sexually alluring Chance Wayne (Ben Thompson), who is a 29-year-old gigolo returning to his Gulf Coast home town with an aging movie star with Hollywood clout, Alexandra Del Lago (Hazel Gavigan).

Chance antagonizes almost everyone and then sacrifices himself as a form of redemption when he realises he has destroyed his one pure love, the aptly named Heavenly Finley (Dayna Whelan), daughter of powerful political boss Tom Finley (Daniel Allen).

Chance Wayne, however, isn’t easy to like. He’s a self-destructive romantic who pours oil on the fires he lights, a man of ample worldly experience who nonetheless remains naive to common sense. But he does understand and accept his hypocrisies, unlike Boss Finley and his thuggish followers. A vivid and haunting portrait of the destruction of dreams.

Former Mullingar Student Player and Andrew Lloyd Webber reciprocate, Daniel Egerton has taken on a formidable piece for his first directing debut with Hannah Egerton as assistant director.

- Sweet Bird of Youth will be running in the Mullingar Arts Centre September 18th- 20th. Tickets are €12/€10 and are available from Mullingar Arts Centre by calling 044-934-7777.