JB Keane classic at Dunamaise for one night only
The cast of Moll from left to right: - Margaret Mccarthy, Tom Butler, Kevin Lalor Fitzpatrick, Michael Brennan, Regina O'Kelly, John Kavanagh and Joe Murphy
FORT Wall Laois theatre group is set to bring one of John B Keane’s best loved plays to the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise.
Playing to packed houses around the country, the theatre group will perform the farcical comedy ???? for one night only on Saturday at 8pm.
The play is set in 1970s rural Ireland and focuses on the chaos that ensues when a shrewd housekeeper, Moll Kettle, takes over a parochial house. She manipulates canon Pratt and two curates, feeding the canon well, while dominating the parish management.
Country presbytery Conon Pratt (John Kavanagh) and his two curates, senior curate Fr Brest (Kevin Lalor Fitzpatrick) and Fr Loran (Joe Murphy) are at a low ebb with the departure of their beloved housekeeper. A replacement must be quickly sought.
Enter Moll Kettle (Regina O’Kelly), who immediately sets about changing things. With cleverness and cunning (and bingo), she eventually ends up running the parish single-handedly.
The canon adores her. He gets the best of food from her, but not his two lowly curates. A war of attrition soon erupts between Moll and Fr Brest, who resents her meddling.
Who is going to win this battle of wills?
The production also includes Micheal Brennan as the bishop, Margaret McCarthy as Bridgie and Tom Butler as Ulick.
The play is directed by Kevin Lalor Fitzpatrick.
