Page 46 - The Gonzaga Record 1989
P. 46
OPERA player, in the shape of Janos (John
Twomey), son of a woodcutter (Brian
The initial, nail-biting, filtration pro- Kennedy) living in the heart of the
cess (comprising three public sessions, country. This innocent young man,
during which prospectives had to against the better advice of his father,
embarrass themselves to greater or sets off to the city to defend his
lesser degrees, depending on the state country.
of their voice) was over and a pro- In the hotel where he stays, he meets
visional cast list had been posted. This Katerina, a waitress (played with
having caused its traditional impact, emotion by not one but two actresses
the cast settled down to enjoy Christ- from Muckross; Kiri McMahon on
mas, awaiting rehearsals to begin some Thursday and Saturday, and Patricia
days afterwards. Magee on Friday). To both, it's a case
Not so the diligent stage crew! This of love at first sight.
dynamic bunch were hard at work even Things are not so good, however,
before the list was delivered. I believe it Janos having won the first two out of
to be an age-old tradition of stage three matches against the Soviet
crews that however soon the task is Kusakov (Ronan Keogan); the villain
started into, it can never be finished of this tale, Comrade Petroff, enig-
until the night (often not even then) of matically played by Eugene Downes,
the first performance. This year was and his bootlicking sidekick (Stephen
no exception, causing much irritation Kearns) set in motion a devious plan.
to everyone else. This plan, originating from Marcus
On 28th December, the full cast Dowling's ice cool Psychology Pro-
assembled at Brian Kennedy's house to fessor, involved substituting a double
watch Fawlty Towers, after which we for Janos to destroy relationships with
managed to start work on our own his coach (Jim O'Brien) and Katerina.
production. The rehearsals started and Fortunately, there is a close re-
continued on a good note, due not semblance between Janos and a Soviet,
least to the confidence and experience Ilyushin (an intriguing performance by
of the producer, and soon the cast had Sean O'Tuoma) and so the plan pro-
perfected their respective parts. Both ceeds without a hitch; much to the
Senior and Junior choruses learnt Soviets' relief, Janos' play falls apart,
their parts on time and performed and soon the tournament hangs
admirably on all nights. The orchestra equals, two all.
maintained their usual high standard. At this point, the Russians make a
Efficient co-ordination managed to tragic mistake, they decide to kidnap
pull together these elements and soon Janos and substitute llyushin to play
the show was ready to be performed. Kusakov; after all, how can they lose?
"Double Check", fourth in the now Simple, given the circumstances of a
famous cycle of five (and rumoured to typical Gonzaga opera; Bela, Janos'
be the creator's own favourite), is our father, overhears Lochlann O'Connor's
first visit to Anastasia, a small People's energetic axe shop salesman (in reality
Republic just south of the USSR. a KGB agent!), talking to the Pro-
This proud territory, under the fessor of Psychology. He proceeds to
ebullient leadership of Zoltan I, free Janos and with due speed and
aggressively portrayed by Francis subtlety replaces Ilyushin with him at
Carney, is given the chance to attain its the chess board. Soon enough, the
independence if it can beat the best battle turns in Janos' favour and he
Ru ss ian (Soviet) over the chess board. frees his little country.
As luck would have it, Anastasia With a plot as intricate as this,
happens to have an excellent unknown added to the superb acting, excellent
44
Twomey), son of a woodcutter (Brian
The initial, nail-biting, filtration pro- Kennedy) living in the heart of the
cess (comprising three public sessions, country. This innocent young man,
during which prospectives had to against the better advice of his father,
embarrass themselves to greater or sets off to the city to defend his
lesser degrees, depending on the state country.
of their voice) was over and a pro- In the hotel where he stays, he meets
visional cast list had been posted. This Katerina, a waitress (played with
having caused its traditional impact, emotion by not one but two actresses
the cast settled down to enjoy Christ- from Muckross; Kiri McMahon on
mas, awaiting rehearsals to begin some Thursday and Saturday, and Patricia
days afterwards. Magee on Friday). To both, it's a case
Not so the diligent stage crew! This of love at first sight.
dynamic bunch were hard at work even Things are not so good, however,
before the list was delivered. I believe it Janos having won the first two out of
to be an age-old tradition of stage three matches against the Soviet
crews that however soon the task is Kusakov (Ronan Keogan); the villain
started into, it can never be finished of this tale, Comrade Petroff, enig-
until the night (often not even then) of matically played by Eugene Downes,
the first performance. This year was and his bootlicking sidekick (Stephen
no exception, causing much irritation Kearns) set in motion a devious plan.
to everyone else. This plan, originating from Marcus
On 28th December, the full cast Dowling's ice cool Psychology Pro-
assembled at Brian Kennedy's house to fessor, involved substituting a double
watch Fawlty Towers, after which we for Janos to destroy relationships with
managed to start work on our own his coach (Jim O'Brien) and Katerina.
production. The rehearsals started and Fortunately, there is a close re-
continued on a good note, due not semblance between Janos and a Soviet,
least to the confidence and experience Ilyushin (an intriguing performance by
of the producer, and soon the cast had Sean O'Tuoma) and so the plan pro-
perfected their respective parts. Both ceeds without a hitch; much to the
Senior and Junior choruses learnt Soviets' relief, Janos' play falls apart,
their parts on time and performed and soon the tournament hangs
admirably on all nights. The orchestra equals, two all.
maintained their usual high standard. At this point, the Russians make a
Efficient co-ordination managed to tragic mistake, they decide to kidnap
pull together these elements and soon Janos and substitute llyushin to play
the show was ready to be performed. Kusakov; after all, how can they lose?
"Double Check", fourth in the now Simple, given the circumstances of a
famous cycle of five (and rumoured to typical Gonzaga opera; Bela, Janos'
be the creator's own favourite), is our father, overhears Lochlann O'Connor's
first visit to Anastasia, a small People's energetic axe shop salesman (in reality
Republic just south of the USSR. a KGB agent!), talking to the Pro-
This proud territory, under the fessor of Psychology. He proceeds to
ebullient leadership of Zoltan I, free Janos and with due speed and
aggressively portrayed by Francis subtlety replaces Ilyushin with him at
Carney, is given the chance to attain its the chess board. Soon enough, the
independence if it can beat the best battle turns in Janos' favour and he
Ru ss ian (Soviet) over the chess board. frees his little country.
As luck would have it, Anastasia With a plot as intricate as this,
happens to have an excellent unknown added to the superb acting, excellent
44
