Tonight we welcome Corn Mill back to Ballyshannon with ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ by Brian Friel.
‘Philadelphia Here I Come’ is a 1964 play written by Brian Friel. It is set in the fictional town of Ballybeg. It centres around Garet (Gar) O’ Donnell’s proposed move to America. Gar is protrayed by two characters, Gar Public (the Gar that people see, talk to and talk about) and Gar Private (the unseen man, the man within, the conscience). It’s essentially about exile, the exile of emigration, the exile of emotional disconnect, the exile of choosing security over love and the exile of living fantasy rather than reality. The play is a tragic comedy with many comical scenes.
MADGE – MAURA FARRELLY
GARET O’ DONNELL (PUBLIC) – DEREK O’REILLY
GARET O’ DONNELL (PRIVATE) – CHARLES MCGUINNESS
S.B. O’DONNELL – RAY HACKETT
KATE DOOGAN – GRACE KELLY
SENATOR DOOGAN – JIM WILLIAMSON
MASTER DOYLE – BRIAN REILLY
LIZZY SWEENEY – TARAGH DONOHOE
CON SWEENEY – SEAN MCINTYRE
BEN BURTON – JOE MC MANUS
NED – STEPHEN GREY
TOM – RONAN WARD
JOE – LARRY O’HALLORAN
CANON MICK O’BYRNE – BRIAN REILLY
DIRECTOR – KILLIAN MC GUINNESS
CREW
Lighting: Phillip McIntyre, Barry Nash, Noel Nash; Sound: Gus Hanly, Angela McCluskey;
Set Design: Phillip McIntyre, Noel Nash; Décor: Sinead O’reilly, Taragh Donohue; Stage Manager: Taragh Donohoe; Make Up: Una Ward.
‘Philadelphia, Here I Come’, the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon, March 18th, 8.15pm.
Contact John on 0863743207 or the Abbey Arts Centre box office on 0719851375 to avoid disappointment.