Longford audience in for a treat with 'It's The Real McCoy'

Cilleo Yew Tree Players are putting the final touches to their spring production as the drama group brings “It's The Real McCoy” to the stage for local audiences.

Set in rural Ireland in the cottage of Madge Molly it’s a peculiar tale with numerous twists and turns. The show revolves around Madge, who has to contend with nosey neighbours, a gormless postman who wants to marry her only daughter, a priest with a tale of her past and a wayward husband who wants to meet her to explain why he vanished without trace almost 40 years ago.

Written by Mayo man Tommy Marren the three act comedy is certain to entertain. Cilleo Yew Tree Players have assembled a strong cast of established performers for their production. John Doherty, Chairperson of Cilleo Yew Tree Players, says the show is stage ready: “Rehearsals have gone well, they are tying it up at the moment.”

Many of the names on Director Mickey Kenny's cast roll will be familiar to local drama buffs. Madge will be played by Mary Mahon, Maura -Carmel Kennedy, Nora- Mairead Moorhead, Cora- Grainne Fox, Martin- Paul McCarthy, Fr McCoy- John Fitzsimons, and Tom- Colm Hughes.

“We have a combination of established actors and new faces,” John says, “Paul McCarthy and Mary Mahon have been involved with Cilleo Yew Tree Players for quite a while, Paul since it first started in 1987.”

The selection of the play was down to the director: “Mickey picked it. He thought it was a play that we could do well and would be very appealing to our audience.”

This will be the first return to the stage for the group in a couple of years: “The group is going very well. We have been off stage the last couple of years because of the pandemic.
“We were all set to stage The Beauty Queen of Lenane when lockdown hit. So this is our first post-pandemic production. I think it's a relief for all involved to be back on stage. There is a long tradition of drama in the parish and we were keen to get it revived as quickly as possible to ensure it did not lapse.”

John hopes the reputation the group enjoyed in the past will bring audiences out for an evening of entertainment: “The shows are always generally close to full houses, and we've often had to put on extra nights to cope with demand. It's a good centre, very comfortable and spacious to hold a good audience. Stage Manager Declan Rowley will have the place well prepared.”

The Cilleo Yew Tree Players have a strong committee keeping the show on the road. John commended all those working behind the scenes: “There's a lot of background work to make sure the play gets to the stage. Committee members Sharon Fineran and Mauread Moffett have been very busy. We have a good team who get on well. We are all singing off the same page.”

Cilleo Yew Tree Players raise the curtain on “It's the real McCoy” on March 25, 26 and 27, 2023 in the Community Centre in Ennybegs.