Claremorris Drama Group is to present the comedy play ‘Widows' Paradise’ over five days in Ballyhaunis, Irishtown, Claremorris, Kiltimagh and Garrymore. The play will raise money for 10 different voluntary organisations, namely ISCPA, Ballyhaunis Ladies Football, Meals on Wheels, Gaelscoile De Burca, Claremorris Family Resource Centre and Claremorris Bord na nOg, Claremorris Ladies Rugby, Kiltimagh Scouts, No Name Balla, and Gortskehy National School.
Widows Paradise is a three act comedy set in the 1960's. The action takes place in a 'luxury' caravan with five beautiful ladies embarking on a 'strictly women only' holiday, set in the gorgeous Mayo countryside. Ruby (played by Karen Hahessy, formally known in the last production as Big Maggie ) is a strong-willed widow with a decided distaste for all men, who is adamant to make the other four ladies follow her lead and write-off the opposite sex for a life of peace and tranquillity.
Her three musketeers follow somewhat bewildered with the quest - Lucy (played by Rachael Comer ) is a ditzy loveable character who must hide her never-ending faith in finding true love. Vanessa, another widow (played by Mary Dixon ), is comically only interested in the finer things in life - but has she an agenda of her own in taking this trip? Then there is Rachel, (played by Maureen Burke ), a relationship lightweight, whose overall fear of men make her one of the most entertaining characters thrown into the female mix. These four self-confessed "Widows" are followed by Ruby’s gorgeous young daughter Sylvia (played by Aisling Hahessy ), who has been taken along on the trip to learn from their mistakes.
A subsequent case of 'mistaken caravan identity' sees the "Widows' Paradise" thrown into disarray with the arrival of no-nonsense alpha-male Harry (played by Noel Armstrong ), his dim-witted side-kick Ernie (played by Rory Caulfield ) and Harry's handsome young son Alan (played by Paddy Burke ). What was supposed to be a scene of peace and tranquility turns into a riotous clash of the sexes, each with their own story to tell. Add to the mix a couple of surprise visitors in the form of Wilfred (Ciaran Moran ) and Farmer John (John Fallon ) - and there's a basis for chaos.
The play will run on the following dates: March 1 and 2 at Ballyhaunis Parochial Hall and March 3 at Irishtown Hall; March 8 at Claremorris Town Hall and April 12 at Kiltimagh Town Hall; April 26 at Garrymore Hall.
