Theatrical Escapes: Enniskillen Drama Festival and Relaxation at Belmore Court
The Enniskillen Drama Festival is a beacon for theatre enthusiasts, drawing in a tapestry of plays that span themes, eras, and emotions. Hosted annually, it transforms the quaint town of Enniskillen into a vibrant hub of storytelling and theatrical brilliance. Accommodating your stay at Belmore Court & Motel, the closest accommodation to the Ardhowen Theatre, not only promises comfort and convenience but also immerses you in the heart of Northern Ireland’s cultural landscape.
2025 Enniskillen Drama Festival Highlights and Theatre Companies
Bart Players – Friday 7th March 2025 – The Whiteheaded Boy By Lennox Robinson
“The Whiteheaded Boy” is set in a typical Irish small-town household which is thrown into a frenzy, as the play begins, with the return of son Denis from Dublin’s Trinity College. He is the whiteheaded boy of the title – the apple of his mother’s eye and the butt of his siblings’ resentment as a result – who, we learn, has just failed his exams.
Rather than face the shame of this failure, the family plan to ship him off to Canada; he just wants to marry his sweetheart, get a job and settle down in the country. Hijinks, marriage proposals, bribes and counter-bribes ensue as the family members exploit and misinterpret Denis’ situation. Simple on the surface, the play is in fact a pointed analysis of Irish culture that remains eerily relevant today.
Clontarf Players – Saturday 8th March 2025 – The Last days of Judas Iscariot By Stephen Adley Guirgis
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is a hilarious, poignant, thought-provoking work by Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis. Boasting a large, zany cast of characters, the play asks one of the most plaguing questions in the Christian ideology: What happened to Judas Iscariot? The facts (we think!) we know are these: Judas was the disciple of Jesus who betrayed his friend and teacher to the authorities. He is seen as the man responsible for Jesus’s death; afterwards, Judas fell into despair and hung himself from an olive tree; since then, he has been suffering for his deeds deep in Hell and will continue to do so for all eternity. Is that really fair?
Was Judas the duplicitous master of his own fate, a much-suffering pawn used for Jesus’s ends, or just a man who made a mistake? Set in a courtroom in Purgatory, The Last Days puts Judas’ case to a hilarious, riotous, piercing trial, the results of which are sure to make the inhabitants of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory — and the audience — reconsider what each thought they knew about forgiveness, faith, and the human inside one of the history’s most infamous figures.
Theatre 3 – Sunday 9th March 2025 – The Cemetery Club By Ivan Menchell
It’s a simple story. Three Jewish widows, long-time friends, meet once a month for tea, then visit their husbands’ graves. There’s sweet Ida, happy in her memories of Murray and in no hurry to “move on”; nascent party girl Lucille, who’s finally getting payback against her unfaithful Harry; and Doris, whose devotion to Abe, even in death, seems borderline unhealthy.
Things are going along swimmingly until the arrival of Sam, a shy butcher whose deceased wife is buried in the same cemetery as their husbands. Sam is immediately pounced on by a purring Lucille, but it’s Ida that Sam has doe-eyes for. The budding romance threatens to destroy the women’s friendship, first because Lucille wants Sam for herself later because Lucille and Doris make a horribly misguided attempt to save Ida from potential heartbreak.
Rosemary Drama Group – Monday 10th March 2025 – Can You ever Forgive Me? By Ian MacDonald
Lee Israel took New York by storm with her Hollywood biographies. Then it all crashed. Jobless, penniless, a massive vet bill for her beloved cat tipped her to crime as a forger of celebrity letters. Dorothy Parker, Noel Coward, Humphrey Bogart: she faked them all. And raked it in. But suspicions circled, and the FBI was closing in…
Outrageous, hilarious, touching and true—ish. Can you ever forgive her?
Phoenix Players – Tuesday 11th March 2024 – Translations By Brian Friel
Set in the North West of Ireland, Friel’s classic explores, language, love, relationships, co-existence, colonisation, nationality, and identity. Showing how language can both connect and divide people, while also illustrating the broader historical struggle between different cultures.
While set in the first half of the nineteenth century, this play is as relevant in today’s World as it was in Baile Beag in the 1830s.
The action of this play takes place in late August 1833 at a hedge-school in the townland of Baile Beag – an Irish speaking community in County Donegal. The ‘scholars’ are a cross-section of the local community, from a semi-literate young farmer to and elderly polyglot autodidact who reads and quotes Homer in the original.
In a nearby field camps a recently arrived detachment of the Royal Engineers, engaged on behalf of the British Army and Government in making the first Ordnance Survey. For the purposes of cartography, the local Gaelic place names have to be recorded and transliterated – or translated – into English, in examining the effects of this operation on the lives of a small group of people, Irish and English, Brian Friel skilfully reveals the unexpectedly far-reaching personal and cultural effects of an action which is at first sight purely administrative and ‘harmless’. While remaining faithful to the personalities and relationships of those people at that time he makes a richly suggestive statement about Irish – and English – history.
Castleblaney Players – Wednesday 12th March 2024 – The Woodsman By Steven Fletcher
Walter is trying to rehabilitate into society after serving prison time for something no one can forgive him for, not even himself… molesting a child. He must battle his demons, resist temptation and confront his past on the impossible path to redemption.
Newtownstewart Theatre Company – Thursday 13th March 2024 – The remains of
Maisy Duggan By Carmel Winters
“Now I’m dead there’ll be changes. I won’t keep rolling over. I won’t wag my tail at every insult and injury”!
Kathleen Duggan has rushed home to Ireland upon hearing the news that her mother, Maisie, has died. Only when she gets back to the house, she finds that her mother is alive and well. Almost. However, after a routine car accident, Maisie believes that she is now dead and wandering around the homestead, awaiting her funeral. Still able to talk to her childish adult son and her violent, temperamental husband, she will no longer be silenced by the male-dominated, pugnacious atmosphere that has kept her quiet all these years. So when Kathleen comes back for the ‘funeral’, Maisie expects to find her final resting place, safe from the threat of domestic violence once and for all. The Remains of Maisie Duggan received its world premiere on the Peacock stage of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in autumn 2016.By Carmel Winters
Newpoint Players – Friday 14th March 2024 – Newpoint Players adaption of Ghetto By Joseph Sobol
The true story of the flourishing of a theatre in a wartime Jewish Ghetto. Winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Play and the Critics Circle Award for Best New Play.
Set in the Jewish ghetto of Vilna, Lithuania, in 1942, and based on diaries written during the darkest days of the holocaust, Ghetto tells of the unlikely flourishing of a theatre at the very time the Nazis began their policy of mass extermination. Joshua Sobol’s play Ghetto was first performed at the Haifa Municipal Theatre in Israel and the Freie Volksbühne, Berlin, in 1984. This English-language version, adapted by David Lan, was first performed in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, London, in April 1989, directed by Nicholas Hytner.
Bridge Drama Group – Saturday 9th March 2024 – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time By Simon Stephens
Teenaged Christopher, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It is seven minutes after midnight, Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths, but he is ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. But Christopher’s detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that turns his world upside down.
Through each play, attendees are not just watching performances but are partaking in a journey curated by some of the finest theatre companies in the country. Their distinct styles and interpretative depth breathe life into these stories, creating a festival atmosphere that’s both diverse and cohesive.
Why Belmore Court & Motel?
Choosing Belmore Court & Motel as your festival retreat means opting for unmatched hospitality and convenience. Its proximity to the Ardhowen Theatre, coupled with the comfort of its accommodations, makes it an ideal choice for festival-goers. The motel’s dedication to providing a memorable stay complements the immersive experience of the drama festival, making every aspect of your visit seamless and enjoyable.
Exploring Enniskillen and Beyond – Enniskillen Drama Festival
The Enniskillen Drama Festival is not only an opportunity to indulge in theatrical arts but also a chance to explore the scenic beauty and cultural richness of Enniskillen. From historical sites to local culinary delights, the town offers a plethora of activities to enhance your festival experience. Belmore Court & Motel’s central location serves as the perfect starting point for these explorations, allowing you to discover the charm of Northern Ireland at your leisure.
The Enniskillen Drama Festival, with its array of plays and the talented theatre companies behind them, presents an unparalleled cultural experience. It’s a celebration of storytelling, craftsmanship, and the universal themes that connect us all. Coupled with a stay at Belmore Court & Motel, your visit to the festival is not just an outing but a journey into the heart of theatre. Amidst the backdrop of Enniskillen’s picturesque landscape and the warm hospitality of the motel, this festival stands as a testament to the power of art to inspire, challenge, and transform.
In crafting this expanded narrative, it’s essential to weave in the details that make each theatre company’s contribution unique, while also highlighting the comprehensive experience offered by the festival and the Belmore Court & Motel. This approach provides a rich, engaging read that captures the essence of the festival and encourages theatre lovers to immerse themselves in this extraordinary event.
The Enniskillen Drama Festival 2025 recently concluded with a diverse array of performances from amateur drama groups across Ireland. Held from March 3 to March 11 at the Ardhowen Theatre, the festival featured eight nights of high-quality drama. Each night’s performance was followed by an adjudication from Declan Drohan of the Association of Drama Adjudicators, culminating in the announcement of the winners on the final night.
Key winners included the Ballyshannon Drama Society, which won both the Sound Design Award and the Audience Award for their production of “Margaret.” The Best Lighting award went to Clontarf Players for “Radium Girls,” and Lara Keery received the Young Actor award for her role in “Gaslight” by Clarence Players. Bridge Drama’s “The Wake” was recognized for the Best Moment of Theatre.
The festival serves as a preliminary event leading up to the AUDF Ulster Drama Finals and the ADCI All-Ireland Drama Finals, showcasing the talents of amateur drama groups and providing them with a platform to compete on a larger stage.
Enniskillen Drama Festival FAQ
The Enniskillen Drama Festival is an annual event showcasing a variety of plays from local and international playwrights, highlighting themes from traditional to contemporary. It’s a celebration of theatrical arts in the heart of Northern Ireland.
The festival typically takes place in early March. For specific dates and the program schedule, please refer to the official festival website.
The plays are performed at the Ardhowen Theatre, located in Enniskillen, offering a picturesque setting by the lakeside. Only a 10 minute walk from Belmore Court & Motel.
Belmore Court & Motel offers comfortable and convenient accommodation options right in the heart of Enniskillen, making it easy to attend festival performances and explore the town.
For ticket bookings, it’s recommended to visit the festival’s official website or contact the Ardhowen Theatre directly. The motel staff may also assist with information on how to purchase tickets.
The festival features a diverse range of plays, from dramatic classics reimagined for a modern audience to new works exploring contemporary issues.
Enniskillen offers a variety of dining options, from cosy cafes to fine dining restaurants. The motel staff can provide recommendations based on your preferences.
Plan to attend multiple plays, explore the local area, and engage with the festival activities. Staying at Belmore Court & Motel gives you the flexibility to enjoy both the festival and the attractions of Enniskillen.
