Duiske Players Drama Group to stage ‘Drinking Habits’ - Kilkenny Live

Duiske Players Drama Group are currently in rehearsals for this year’s production of Tom Smith’s ‘Drinking Habits’, which takes place later this month under the capable direction of group stalwart Peter Prendergast.

Last year Peter directed Frank Vickery’s ‘A Kiss on The Bottom’ and he also directed the groups box office hit production of ‘Lovers At Versailles’ by Bernard Farrell in 2017. As well as his directorial CV, Peter has appeared in many of the plays over the years including , ‘Arsenic & Old Lace’, ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’, ‘Sive’, ‘Not Now Darling’, ‘The Field’ and our 2019 production of ‘Sharon’s Grave’.

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This year’s production, ‘Drinking Habits’ tells the story of two nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing convent who have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open, but Paul and Sally, reporters and former fiancées, are hot on their trail and what ensues when you throw in the mother superior, Fr Chenille, the convent groundskeeper and a young novice will result in pure comedy gold. This play is a laugh-out-loud, farcical, two-act comedy that will have you rolling in your seats with laughter.

Speaking last week at the launch of the performance schedule director Peter Prendergast commented ‘Over the years we have found that our audience love comedies and this year’s offering is set to have them really entertained as the unusual happenings in the convent of the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing order unfold’.

Group Chairperson, Lily Brennan added ‘we are confident that all those who attend leave the hall feeling uplifted and heartily entertained by this play.

“An amount of work has gone into this play with the director, cast and crew working tirelessly in pursuit of perfection and we look forward to hearing the audiences reaction to our efforts,” she said.

The sisters of perpetual sewing are played by Lily Brennan, Edel Bolger, Stas Bolger and Rebecca Murphy. Fr Chenille, the priest of the local parish is played by John Meaney with Nathan Dunne taking the role of the convent groundskeeper. The undercover journalists looking to suss out what’s going on in this seemingly perfect convent are played by Edward Hayden and Brid Moloney.

The group boasts great talent in terms of stage management and set design and again this year Eamonn Doherty, Mark Bolger, Paul Hickey, Liz O’ Neill and Maria Espinosa are in charge of creating the set, set dressing and stage management. Feekie O’ Brien will look after the lights and will operate the soundscape. Bonnie Prendergast, Nancy Moloney, Marian Kielthy, and Liz Whelan will lead the front of house along with other members and friends of the Duiske Players Drama Group.

The play will take place in The Abbey Hall in Graignamanagh at 8pm from Thursday to Saturday (March 23-25). Tickets are €12. Seating is unrestricted and is allocated on a first come, first served basis.