Balally Players

Dead Man's Bells (2024)

Written by Méabh de Brún
Directed by Joanne Keane

Performed at:
68th Wicklow ICA Drama Festival on Saturday 20 January 2024
45th Bray One Act Drama Festival on Wednesday 24 January 2024

'Dead Man's Bells' by Méabh de Brún was directed by Joanne Keane.

This dark comedy is a gothic, rural tale of inheritance, rivalry, and misdeeds, unreliably told by three sisters. Written by Máebh de Brún, award winning Irish playwright, the play is laced with black humour and quick wit, a worthy winner of the DLI/ADCI Playwriting Award.

"The foxglove bells, with lolling tongue,
Will not reveal what peals were rung"
– Mary Webb

"The play is a story of three sisters, one brother, and a farm that's up for grabs. The shared chorus of siblinghood, and the weight of unspoken family secrets, are explored with a balance of dark and the craic onstage in a journey of familial bickering and twisting tales."
– Michelle Crean. There are misdeeds — there will be consequences! One not to miss!

Programme for the two One-Act plays in 2023

A PDF copy of the programme for the first Balally Players production of 'Dead Man's Bells', when it was presented with 'Autobahn', directed by Brian Molloy, in dlr Mill Theatre Studio from 24 to 28 October 2023, is available here.

The Wicklow ICA Drama Festival was held in the Glenealy Village Hall on Saturday 20 January at 7:30pm. The Adjudicator was Alan Howley (ADA).

The Bray One Act Drama Festival performance was in the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow on Wednesday 24 January at 7:30pm. The Adjudicator was Michael McCabe (ADA).

Balally Players was awarded runner-up for 'Dead Man's Bells' at the Bray Festival.

Leah Gaughan won the Best Actress Award and the Lighting & Sound Award was won by the team of Kris Mooney, Paul Macken, Liam Borgstrom, Una Twyford, Paul Delany & Barbara Andrews.

The winners were St. Patrick's Dramatic Society, Dalkey with 'The Pushcart Peddlers'. The Festival Director was William Mansfield and the adjudicator was Michael McCabe Association of the Association of Drama Adjudicators (ADA).

l-r Gemma Stack, Mary Carroll, Joanne Keane, Leah Gaughan, Barbara Andrews & Una Twyford

**Cast for 'Dead Man's Bells'**
Eldest Middle Youngest	Mary Carroll Gemma Stack Leah Gaughan

**Production Team for 'Dead Man's Bells'**
Director Production Manager Sound Design Sound Operator Lighting Design Lighting Operators Stage Manager ASM Set Costume	Joanne Keane Mary Ryan Paul Delany Barbara Andrews Kris Mooney Paul Macken & Liam Borgstrom Una Twyford Ruth O'Donovan Patrick Hand Dympna Murray

To download images, click on the SmugMug logo above to open the Gallery in a new window.

Photographs taken by Brendan O'Sullivan

Balally Players Chairman, Patrick Hand, with 'Dead Man's Bells' Director, Joanne Keane, at the Bray One Act Drama Festival in the Mermaid Theatre, Bray, January 2024.