Portia Coughlan opens this week

Mullingar"s Rail Theatre Co. will stage their latest play "Portia Coughlan", by the award winning Tullamore playwright Marina Carr in the Mullingar Arts Centre over three nights, Thursday, June 4 to Saturday, June 6.Directed by Sean Lynch and assisted by Angela Lynch, local actors Niamh O"Shea, Banjo Quinn, Mary Hughes, Christy Cole, Veronica McDonagh, Gillian Flynn, Paul Doolin, Maedbh Hughes, Neil Brady and Garry Nolan will up the dramatic ante with this powerful and challenging piece.On her 30th birthday Portia Coughlan (Niamh O"Shea) is in no mood to celebrate. It is exactly fifteen years since her twin brother Gabriel died in the Belmont River.Her husband Raphael (Banjo Quinn), a successful businessman, presents her with a diamond bracelet worth £5,000. He is a patient man by nature, but his patience is being tested, as Portia loses herself in depression, in neglect of their three children.She spends nights away from home, often in the company of a couple of local studs Damus Halion (Garry Nolan) and Fintan Goolin (Neil Brady). Portia"s Aunt Maggie May Doorley (Gillian Flynn) and her sweet-natured husband Senchil (Paul Doolin) offer moments of comic relief, while Stacia Doyle (Maedbh), perhaps her only real friend, tries valiantly to lessen the depressive mood.As the story unfolds, more horror is revealed from the past involving Portia"s parents Sly Scully (Christy Cole) and Marianne (Mary Hughes), who despite their wealth were never really able to offer their daughter anything of value.Sly"s mother Blaize (Veronica McDonagh) who seems to value the importance of family, is not afraid to vent her anger at the situation.Marina Carr"s richly textured dialogue, beautiful lyric soarings and visionary flights make this an unmissable drama.Tickets are available now from the Mullingar Arts Centre box office on Mount Street, on 044 9347777 or from reception.