Mr Nobody

Written by Patrick Greaney
Directed by Teresa Dempsey
Performed in Bray Festival, January 2006

The play chosen as the Balally Players entry for the Bray Festival in 2006 was a new play called 'Mr Nobody' written by Patrick Greaney.

Background note

Mr Nobody is somebody very special in the life of the big, old house at the centre of this play. It's a house occupied by some strange and eccentric characters and it's a house with a character all of its own. It's the focal point of the story and sets the scene for this new comedy written by Patrick Greaney and published in 2005. Determined that 'all will be revealed', or as Mr Nobody puts it "all will not be revealed", the cast and crew prepared this world premiere for adjudication at the Bray Festival on Thursday 26 January 2006.

The 29th Bray One Act Drama Festival started at the Mermaid Arts Centre on Wednesday night (25 Jan) and ran for four nights. Eleven local amateur drama groups competed in the competition judged by actor and director Imelda McDonagh. The entries included a varied selection of plays. In addition to Mr Nobody, they ranged from a comedy by Hugh Leonard to an Irish language drama by Mairtin O'Cadhain. Three one-act plays were performed each night from Wednesday to Friday. The final two performances were on Saturday, followed by the announcement of the winner. 'Mr Nobody' was the last of three plays performed before the adjudicator in the Mermaid Theatre, Bray on Thursday 26 January.

At the closing ceremony of the 29th Bray One Act Drama Festival on Saturday 28 January, the Adjudicator, Imelda McDonagh, awarded a Certificate of Merit to Lorcan Dunne for his performance as Joe.

Teresa Dempsey (Director) and cast during a technical rehearsal in the Mermaid Theatre, Bray on Sunday 22 January 2006.

Tony McGettigan at work on the sound desk in Bray

Teresa Dempsey (Director), Tony McGettigan (Sound), Margaret Toomey (Marge), Declan Brennan (Mr Boney), Deirdre Ward (Emily), Lorcan Burke (Joe) and Mary Ryan (Minnie Hand) at the final rehearsal in Lamb Doyle's.

Deirdre Ward (the daughter, Emily)

Margaret Toomey (the mother, Marge)

Declan Brennan (gentleman caller, Boney)

Mary Ryan (the officious Minnie Hand)

Joe (Lorcan) & Minnie take a tumble

"All is revealed" to Minnie by Mr Boney

Director, Teresa Dempsey at the final rehearsal before the Bray Festival.

The plays performed at the Bray Festival were as follows:

Wednesday
Stay Carl Stay by Peter Tolan, performed by Masquerade, Arklow The Last Wife by Lynn Brittney, performed by Delgany Drama Society Brenton versus Brenton by David Tristram, performed by Crois Dearg

Thursday
Think the Beautiful Thoughts by Rae Shirley, performed by Ashford ICA Death of a Dummy by John Reason, performed by St Patricks Drama Society, Dalkey Mister Nobody by Patrick Greaney, performed by Balally Players

Friday
A Short Walk to the Sea by Desmond Hogan, performed by Martello Productions From Here to the Library by Jimmie Chinn, performed by Kilmant Players The Last of the Mohicans by Hugh Leonard, performed by Square One

Saturday
Idir Shugradh Agus Dairire by Mairtin O'Cadhain, performed by An Beal Binn In By Half by Jimmie Chinn, performed by Bray Arts

The winners were:

Certificate of Merit
Una Ryan (Think The Beautiful Thoughts, Ashford ICA) Mary Greagsbey (Stay Carl Stay, Masquerade, Arklow) Kilmant Players (From Here To The Library) Lorcan Dunne (Mr Nobody, Balally Players)

Best Supporting Actress
Elizabeth McCormack, Delgany Dramatic Society

Best Supporting Actor
Dominick Palmer, Square One Theatre Group

Adjudicators Award
An Beal Binn

Most Promising Young Actor
Orna Murphy, Bray Arts

Best Actress
Rosemary Morley, Bray Arts

Best Actor
Seymour Cresswell, St Patrick's Dramatic Society

Best Comedy
Brenton versus Brenton, Crois Dearg

Best Producer
Judith Elmes, St Patrick's, Dalkey

Runner-up
The Last Wife, Delgany

Best Group
St Patrick's Players, Dalkey