ARMAGH THEATRE GROUP QUESTIONNAIRE 2020
NAME; Peter Kelly
JOB/ CAREER;Teacher/Tutor
ATG MEMBER since;1972
WHY DID YOU JOIN ;Boredom mostly…..in those years, Jenny’s Row was a hive of activity. Any weekend there’d be Jackie Connolly, Jimmy Lamb, Buddy Mc Ardle and others, all working on staging and sets. Help was never refused. If not, there’d certainly be an upcoming event which demanded a Party! Somebody’s birthday was a perfect excuse.
1st PRODUCTION; We decided on The Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge to be performed in a school hall. In the end we secured the use of St Catherine’s College.
1st PRODUCER/DIRECTOR; Paddy Shiels directed a stellar cast which included Stanley Fitzgerald (a legend of our times) Mary Lamb (ditto), Una Boylan (her Widow Quinn was unparalleled in living memory, Paul Tracey (the perfect murderous gob) ….and with Margaret Toman and Kate McGovern, Dudley Marjorem and Mick McCoy….. we had the piece de resistance of Irish Theatre. I played a sobre but noteworthy Michael James, owner of the shebeen. According to the Armagh Observer it was….” a study in restraint, acting in the true Stanislavski style”.
FAVOURITE THEATRE to PERFORM/ VISIT
Shercock, Co Cavan
FAVOURITE PLAY and PART;
Jack in The Weir and more recently Doc Gibbs in Our Town.
ACHIEVEMENTS on ‘STAGE’;
Special mention by the adjudicator in King Lear 1959 CBS.
LIKES/DISLIKES
Chocolates or Cakes; Now and again……Apple tart with cloves
Meat or Veg; Sea bass, mussels and monkfish with new potatoes en buerre.
Fruit or fry; Apples and oranges
Tipple or Dry; Pint of Guinness…just the one. One is heaven, two’s not bad, three’s too many and four ‘snot enough!
ENTERTAIN or be ENTERTAINED; Both!
EMBARRISING STAGE MOMENTS; Fell asleep in the wings and almost missed my cue, final night of Our Town. Stage manager twigged on just in time….. MPT 2016
FAVOURITE AUTHOR /PLAYWRIGHT;
Sebastian Barry. Our lady of Sligo…..The Steward of Christendom.
FAVOURITE BEDTIME READ;
Historical Fiction….Wolf Hall….Any Human Heart
FAVOURITE MUSIC CHOICE;
Flamenco guitar…..Christy Moore
BOOK/PLAY/FILM recommendations;
All the above and Brother Where art thou? Coen Bros
BEST HOLIDAY DESTINATION;
Lanzerote in summer and Sapporo in winter
YOUR PARTY PIECE;
Margueritaville
MANTRA- RULES OF LIFE;
Live life to the full….Try anything ONCE!
EXERCISE CHOICE;
Cycling but locally only and sea bathing in Carrickfinn.
FAVOURITE FOOD/RESTAURANT;
Sausage, egg and chips.
HOPES for ATG by 2026
With plans and finance well advanced for renovations at Abbey Lane, my hopes were high for a new foyer and increased capacity going into 2021. However we are not in a good place right now. The pandemic has landed us in a muddle, and in spite of my natural optimism, I can see no easy answer to our problem.
The unique appeal of Abbey Theatre was its intimacy and cosy familiarity. These are the very qualities which are now under attack by this virus. Without an effective antidote we are looking at a very uncertain future. Professional theatre has been thrown into chaos equally, and it will be the last activity to return to any normal operation. I can only trust that with our enthusiastic and resourceful people, we will manage to keep the show on the road in the bleak years ahead. As I write, we are busily putting together our virtual drama Zoomeo and Juliet, a special ATG production for summer 2020. Thanks to our writers, actors, director, and of course yourselves, our wonderful and loyal supporters who have stuck with us over the years.