‘Cinderella Clonduff Style’ – the first ever Pantomime staged by Clonduff GAA Club aired for the first time on Sunday afternoon 1st December and again on the following Wednesday and Thursday nights to a packed audience in the INF Hall on each occasion! Perhaps one glance at the characters involved is the reason why!
The show was scripted and produced by Clonduff’s own Mary Grant who also played the Dame – we are blessed having her in our midst! With few exceptions other than Mary, most of the characters were making their acting debuts though a number of them cut their ‘stage teeth’ in Scór competitions.
The storyline followed the traditional story for the most of the first half but there was plenty of local humour and innuendo – the ball in the second half, however, was not based in a castle but rather in Lowry’s Bar with Manus playing himself! Eileen McCusker was Master (or should that be Mistress) of Ceremonies and the entertainment was provided by local musicians, singers and dancers including ‘Joe’s Babies’ – the very young Set Dancing team who made their stage debut in the recent Scór na nÓg; Caroline McGreevy and Joe Parr who did the ‘Brush Dance’; Brian McPolin and Marian Brannigan who gave a Jiving exhibition, King Tommy (Kelly) and Queen Ann (McPolin) got the waltzing under way! Oh! What a night of entertainment! All Clonduff Talent!
The show was coordinated by Jimmie Cousins our Cultural and Community Officer whose ‘Brainchild’ the staging of a Christmas Show was. Well done Jimmie – Can’t wait for the next production! Do we have to wait a whole year?
Major thanks are owed to a great many people who were not only on the stage but also worked behind the scenes (see programme below) but also to INF for use of their premises, E4A Banbridge for the loan of stage, backdrop and coach, Warrenpoint Pantomime for the loan of costumes, Eileen McCusker for additional costumes and numerous ticket sellers at each showing. Supper on the final night was provided by The Boulevard, Newry to help get the ‘after party’ under way!
