Navan stars return for Richie Ball stage works

Tommy Tiernan returns home to team up with a former teacher in a Solstice production of ‘Couplings’, three new works by Navan’s Richie Ball, directed by Padraic McIntyre. Two one act plays ‘Rats’ and ‘The Longest Day’ and a dramatic presentation of Richie’s award winning short play ‘The Chamber Pot’ make up the evening’s entertainment on 12th and 13th November.
On the opening night on 12th November, Tommy will perform a reading of ‘The Chamber Pot’. Tommy explains: “Navan to me has always been the birthplace of the WORD, it’s where I learnt my love of language. Muscular phrasing and wit abound there, so the opportunity to perform a monologue by a writer bone deep in the place is one too good to miss.”
The following night, actor Bryn Coldrick will perform the short story as a dramatic monologue. Bryn, a Perth based actor for the past decade, and a former student at St Patrick’s Classical School, Navan, has awards both as actor and director of stage and screen.
Couplings dramatises the complexities of one-to-one relationships, casual and long term, in incidental meetings in unlikely places. A hayshed, a stairs in a house of flats, at the top of a field in winter are the unlikely points of contact, reflection and dramatic incidents.
Another former St Pat’s student, Patrick O’Donnell, a professional actor for twenty years and a winner of the Jameson Film Festival Best Actor Award 2010 performs in ‘Rats’ with Katy Leech, who is no stranger to the Solstice stage particularly with Navan Theatre Group and Dunshaughlin Players productions.
Edward Cosgrave, Ariana Ball, Ciara Cassoni and Gene Rooney make up the cast of ‘The Longest Day’, the opening play of the evening. Edward, formerly a member of the Fair City cast is increasingly busy having recently completed a two week run as the lead in Ramor Theatre production of ‘Hero of the Half Acre’. Ciara Cassoni has acted many times at the Solstice and has awards both as actor and writer. Ariana Ball is returning to the stage having worked on film shorts, most recently in an adaptation of ‘The Longest Day’. Dublin based professional, Gene Rooney, plays the part of, what else, a genuine Dubliner.
Set design is by Daniel Ahern, former teacher of art at St Pat’s. Soundscape is by another local talent, songwriter/composer Saramai Leech. Don’t miss these great evenings showcasing some of the best of our home-grown theatrical talent.
Tickets from €16 are available online: www.solsticeartscentre.ie or call box-office on (046) 909 2300.