Page 83 - The Gonzaga Record 1986
P. 83
appropriately tense and dignified dramatis personae was not decided un-
silence, to the great credit of the actors, til about 10 days before the opera was
who had mastered the kind of restraint put on. Enthusiasm and hard work on
in performance which overcame the all sides made up for all this, although
obvious risk of turning such moments some of the senior chorus seemed,
to melodrama. until the first night, to have a dislike
There were things in the production for learning the words of the songs.
which I looked forward to watching on But it came right on the night(s) and
each of the three nights of perfor- both choruses - the seniors being
mance: the meeting of the three comic very smart, nay stern, shareholders,
shepherds (Maurice Coffey, Andrew the juniors as effective-looking secret-
Marmion and Ciaran Deane ); the aries - were in fine voice each
troubled Pilate; the splendid bombast evening.
of Ruan Magan's entrance as Herod, Conn O'Brien (whose acting in the
and the comic pathos of Edward fight scene was painfully realistic) and
Kearns' Joseph; the sensitive portrayal Gillian Reidy made a charming hero/
of the aged Simeon by Michael heroine couple, although their moving
Guiney; the finely contrasted timing of lift scene was transformed, for better
Annas and Caiphas, and their rabble- or worse, into something nearer farce
rousing demagoguery in the Trial scene by the antics of the lift light -or was
(Jim O'Callaghan and Bobby Carney). it a UFO?
Among the memorable moments, I Mr Murphy agreed with his teaching
must mention Emma Donoghue's en- colleague, Mr Bevan, that Aran Maree
actment of Mary's Grief - a moving had given a tragic touch to the char-
performance of which any profes- acter of Warbeck; the audience on the
sional might be proud. Muckross Saturday night, however, still felt that
made another invaluable contribution he was villainous enough to merit a
in the persons of the three costumes liberal helping of hisses. They also
mistresses (Eimear Kinsella, Eliza granted him an encore for his powerful
Thermes, Caroline Morgan). rendering of the 'Warbeck' song.
The final accolade must go to Paul Memorable scenes were the disco
Byrne, for to play the part of Christ, scene (with Sir Fiendish Cadde be-
not only with skill but without offend- came an electrifying guitarist), the
ing, is surely the ultimate challenge. street scene (with P.C. and Sergeant
Paul did both, yet in his unassuming complementing one another hilarious-
manner, would take credit for neither. ly) and the finale, with Alfred, the lift
boy, arriving just in time to save Alpha
Michael Bevan Chemicals from take-over by Beta, and
thus winning the right to marry Mar-
ion, and the managing directorship of
OPERA the company of the stately Sir Geoff-
rey Goodfellow (Patrick Kenned y).
This year's opera, 'A Spy in the Oint- The orchestra, as always , were exce l-
ment', brought us back to the beginn- lent, although there were some changes
ing of Gerry Murphy's cycle of five, from last year - notably on the piano,
and was performed by First and Fifth with Mrs Murphy taking a well -deser-
years, 'in collaboration with the ved rest, having borne a child in
Dominican College, Muckross Park', December.
in January. The stage crew, under most compet-
Rehearsals began later than normal, ent leadership, worked long hours on
starting in earnest a fortnight before the scenery, which was of a profess -
the first night. Indeed, the final list of ional quality; in this, and the marshall-
81
silence, to the great credit of the actors, til about 10 days before the opera was
who had mastered the kind of restraint put on. Enthusiasm and hard work on
in performance which overcame the all sides made up for all this, although
obvious risk of turning such moments some of the senior chorus seemed,
to melodrama. until the first night, to have a dislike
There were things in the production for learning the words of the songs.
which I looked forward to watching on But it came right on the night(s) and
each of the three nights of perfor- both choruses - the seniors being
mance: the meeting of the three comic very smart, nay stern, shareholders,
shepherds (Maurice Coffey, Andrew the juniors as effective-looking secret-
Marmion and Ciaran Deane ); the aries - were in fine voice each
troubled Pilate; the splendid bombast evening.
of Ruan Magan's entrance as Herod, Conn O'Brien (whose acting in the
and the comic pathos of Edward fight scene was painfully realistic) and
Kearns' Joseph; the sensitive portrayal Gillian Reidy made a charming hero/
of the aged Simeon by Michael heroine couple, although their moving
Guiney; the finely contrasted timing of lift scene was transformed, for better
Annas and Caiphas, and their rabble- or worse, into something nearer farce
rousing demagoguery in the Trial scene by the antics of the lift light -or was
(Jim O'Callaghan and Bobby Carney). it a UFO?
Among the memorable moments, I Mr Murphy agreed with his teaching
must mention Emma Donoghue's en- colleague, Mr Bevan, that Aran Maree
actment of Mary's Grief - a moving had given a tragic touch to the char-
performance of which any profes- acter of Warbeck; the audience on the
sional might be proud. Muckross Saturday night, however, still felt that
made another invaluable contribution he was villainous enough to merit a
in the persons of the three costumes liberal helping of hisses. They also
mistresses (Eimear Kinsella, Eliza granted him an encore for his powerful
Thermes, Caroline Morgan). rendering of the 'Warbeck' song.
The final accolade must go to Paul Memorable scenes were the disco
Byrne, for to play the part of Christ, scene (with Sir Fiendish Cadde be-
not only with skill but without offend- came an electrifying guitarist), the
ing, is surely the ultimate challenge. street scene (with P.C. and Sergeant
Paul did both, yet in his unassuming complementing one another hilarious-
manner, would take credit for neither. ly) and the finale, with Alfred, the lift
boy, arriving just in time to save Alpha
Michael Bevan Chemicals from take-over by Beta, and
thus winning the right to marry Mar-
ion, and the managing directorship of
OPERA the company of the stately Sir Geoff-
rey Goodfellow (Patrick Kenned y).
This year's opera, 'A Spy in the Oint- The orchestra, as always , were exce l-
ment', brought us back to the beginn- lent, although there were some changes
ing of Gerry Murphy's cycle of five, from last year - notably on the piano,
and was performed by First and Fifth with Mrs Murphy taking a well -deser-
years, 'in collaboration with the ved rest, having borne a child in
Dominican College, Muckross Park', December.
in January. The stage crew, under most compet-
Rehearsals began later than normal, ent leadership, worked long hours on
starting in earnest a fortnight before the scenery, which was of a profess -
the first night. Indeed, the final list of ional quality; in this, and the marshall-
81
