Wilde times in store for Tullamore with 'Lady Windemere's Fan'
Tullamore Amateur Dramatic Society presents Wilde classic in Esker Arts next week
THEATRE goers are eagerly awaiting TADS November production of Oscar Wilde’s "Lady Windermere’s Fan", which opens on Wednesday, November 11, and runs to Saturda, November 14 in Esker Arts, Tullamore.
Under the direction of Fionnuala Corrigan, this theatrical comedy brings audiences into a world of scandal and high society, where appearances matter and reputations can change in an instant. The story follows a young wife, Lady Windermere, whose seemingly perfect life is thrown into chaos by gossip, a mysterious stranger and a reputation that could change in an instant.
Written in 1892, this play is packed with secrets, scandal and social intrigue for which Wilde is famous for, and asks the audience ‘how well do we really know the people we love — and the people we judge?’.
Oscar Wilde, is one of Ireland’s most famous figures, as a poet, a novelist and a playwright and lived from 1854 to 1900. Best known for his sharp wit, ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ is a prime example of his glittering writings, with this work exposing the double standards within high society and the high morals of Victorian upper-class society. Wilde’s razor-sharp wit keeps the laughs coming throughout the play, with lines such as “Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality.” spoken by Lord Darlington played by Daniel Shanley, and "Two tragedies in life are not getting what one wants, and getting it.” Dumby (Act III) played by Frank O’Brien. “"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars", spoken by Lord Darlington, continues to be one of Wilde's most universally quoted lines today.
Featuring one of TADS’ largest casts, the production brings together familiar performers and new faces for an evening of glamour, humour and theatrical intrigue.
The Tribune spoke with Caoimhe Cullen, who is playing Cecil Graham, in the play and asked her about this experience. “I am having so much fun playing Cecil, a one man encapsulation of the Oscar Wilde quote, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I’m saying”. Actresses hardly ever get to play these arrogant charismatic rascal types, who just say things and say things and never get into any trouble- compared to the women in this play, who are scrutinised over everything!” A new member to TADS, Caoimhe adds “So I think playing Cecil is not only incredible fun for me personally (I have terrible posture so getting to sprawl and ‘man-spread’ across surfaces is immensely satisfying), but also a great showcase of what men versus women get away with in this play, how different the rules are.” “I like to think of Cecil as a character who doesn’t realise the play is not about him. There is nothing he loves more than the sound of his own voice, and he isn’t looking for a wife so the most fun he can have at these balls is gossiping and making fun of people too dim to know that he is mocking them.”
The play’s cast line up consists of some familiar faces for TADS audiences, such as Frank O’Brien, Susan McDonnell, George Ross, Laura Molloy, Ursula Harte, Dermot Muldowney, Colm McDonnell and Peter Kilemade, and others that have rejoined TADS after a break such as Denise Keoghan. New members have brought new talents to TADs, with actors such as Daniel Shanley, Terri Brennan, Ella Condron, Caoimhe Cullen, Hazel Keegan, Zoe Connell, Aidan Digan, and Helena Brady.
The back stage crew have been busy co-ordinating the production to bring the best TADS has to offer to the stage this November, under the watchful eye of Production Manager Jacinta Dillon, with the help of Mary Roche, Helena Brady, James Saunders, Eymard Hooper, Síle Dolan, Sandra Berry and John Lynch.
TADS has recently staged ‘Bookworms’, ‘The Year of the Hiker’, ‘The Incarnation of the Prodigal Son’, Shakespear’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and Marina Carr’s ‘Portia Coughlan’. The society has also partnered with Esker Arts on a celebration of James Joyce, featuring scenes from Ulysses, to celebrate Bloomsday.
TADS continues to create opportunities for members to take part both on stage and behind the scenes. The group pride themselves on producing quality shows time after time, offering their members the opportunity to be more involved on stage and behind the scenes. The group are honoured to be able to help the Blue Raincoat Company in their upcoming production of ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’, which runs for 1 night in Esker Arts, on Thursday 5th November.
Lady Windermere’s Fan will run for four nights in Esker Arts and tickets are currently available from www.eskerarts.ie. TADS look forward to welcoming you all to join them for this classic comedy next week, starting 11 November.