Delvin waits for them to come home
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The crowd at The Selection Box in Mary Gaffney’s Drama Lounge, Delvin.Image 2 of 10
Mick Roban and Rita McGrath.Image 3 of 10
Breda McHugh, Patrick Fox and Deirdre Doyle.Image 4 of 10
Mary McCabe, Edel McKeogh, Caroline Lynch and Claire Whyte.Image 5 of 10
Carmel Moran, Lorraine Ledwith, Claire Kenny and Margaret O’Shaughnessy.Image 6 of 10
Anne Brogan, Ena McKiernan and Catherine Leavy.Image 7 of 10
Geraldine McNally and Mary Needham.Image 8 of 10
Marie McCauley and Joe McCauley.Image 9 of 10
Herle Andersen and Garry Dunne.Image 10 of 10
Paula Brady and Joan Powell at the drama in Delvin.Delvin was treated to two memorable nights of entertainment as The Selection Box took to the stage with a special programme of original drama and comedy at Mary Gaffney’s Drama Lounge on Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7.
The Selection Box was formed several years ago by director Mick Roban; and performers on the stage at the weekend were drawn from a range of drama groups from the area, giving new people an opportunity to perform.
Mick said: “Instead of simply casting actors, the group preferred to select them,” ensuring everyone involved had a role and a chance to shine.
The evening featured a mixture of light comedy and drama, similar in format to previous performances by the group. This time the focus leaned more toward drama, showing the versatility of the cast and crew.
The programme opened with ‘You’re Wrong There’, a five-minute piece performed by Feilim O’Neill from Delvin, which brought humour and warmth to the audience early in the night.
That was followed by ‘The Third Generation Milkman’, performed by Paul Casserly from Collinstown. The highlight of both nights came with the main production, ‘Wait For Me To Come Home’, which was performed immediately after the earlier pieces, with no interval.
The play, written by Pat Farrell, starred Pat and Patricia Ronayne, and was directed by Mick Roban. It told a moving story of young love lost and separated over time, and reunited again after 50 years, slowly revealing the reasons behind that long-ago parting and how life had shaped both parties.
Although the piece contained moments of humour, it remained firmly rooted in drama, delivering an emotional depth that resonated strongly with the audience.
All three performances on the nights were original works and had never been staged publicly before, making the performance even more special for those in attendance.
The show ran smoothly from start to finish, for its hour and 40 minutes. With laughter in the early performances and powerful storytelling in the main play, both nights were a strong success.