Kilkenny’s newest drama group, Mór Scéal Drama group, will present three one-act plays in Thomastown Hall on August 23rd and 24th at 8pm nightly and in Ryans Bar, Friary Street. These plays are Watermark and Lou Lou in Paris, by local writer Barry McKinley and The Duck Variations by David Mamet.
Mór Scéal was set up in Kilkenny in 2024 with the aim to produce new pieces of drama and embrace all forms of community theatre. To date, their three shows have been sellouts. The Witch Hunt for Alice Kytler was the highlight of the Toil and Trouble Festival in Kilkenny in 2024. In March 2025, the group produced The Nine Moons of Ago for the Museum of the Moon at St Canice’s Cathedral. The season of contemporary plays examines memories and relationships in the urban environment.
No stranger
Barry McKinley is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s most prominent playwrights. He is no stranger to Kilkenny as he lived in the city for many years. His debut play, Small Box Psychosis, was first performed in 1992 and was subsequently presented at the University of California and the European Festival of Comedy in Austria. McKinley was nominated in 2009 for Best New Play in the Irish Theatre Awards for Elysium Nevada. He was shortlisted for the Hennessy Literary Award in 2008 and again in 2010.
Watermark
Watermark follows the journey of Maura, an enigmatic Irishwoman who arrives in London during the 1950s. Confronted with a dire illness, Maura resolves to live each day as if it were her last. Her quest leads her into the shadowy corners of West London’s demi-monde, where she encounters a peculiar celebrity known only as the Old Beast. This man, marked by his serpent-headed walking cane and his unsettling fondness for silk worms, offers to grant Maura’s wish—but with a chilling condition.
“I want to hold something young and watch it die,” he tells her. “I want to squeeze the spark until it becomes a cinder.”
At the heart of the story is Maura’s response to this dark request. And lest you think her words are those of an older woman dreaming, Maura has something to show you—something that still carries the aroma of a bygone era and proof that the devil can be beaten at his own game.
All-Ireland award-winning actress Deirdre Fleming is playing the part of Maura. She is directed by the writer Barry McKinley.
Lou Lou
Lou Lou in Paris by Barry McKinley is a world premiere. Featuring Leanne Murphy, fresh from her iconic performance in The Cripple of Inishmaan at the Watergate Theatre in 2024, and Kellie Butler, who is making a welcome return to the stage. Lou Lou in Paris is about a young Irish au pair, as she grows up in the affluent areas of Paris in the early 1980s.
Duck Variations
The Duck Variations by David Mamet is about two friends, Emil and George, played by Paul Daly and Paul Behan. These two gentlemen are sitting on a park bench by a lake in a big city. Wherever their conversation goes, it always comes back to ducks: their mating habits, their mortal enemies, their inevitable demise. It’s a play that focuses on each of us as we grow older.
Producer of Memories, Willie Ryan said “We are very pleased to be running Memories in conjunction with the Friends of St Columba’s.” St Columba’s Hospital provides compassionate long-term care and rehabilitation services, including a specialised dementia care unit. The day centre operates Monday to Friday, offering supportive services including a memory clinic. They focus on enhancing the quality of life for the residents, encouraging them to enjoy meaningful activities and celebrations. As they approach the completion of their new building, they aim to blend the warmth and spirit of the original home with modern facilities.
Speaking at their recent launch Willie said “We know the great work that’s been done for people in the locality, and it’s an honour to give something back.” Of course, Willie is no stranger to the Thomastown stage. He was involved in the Lovers Meeting in 2017, which kick-started theatre in the Thomastown area.
Mór Scéal Drama group will present ‘Memories’ at Thomastown Community Hall on August 23rd and 24th and in Ryans Bar Kilkenny on 27th, 28th and 29th of August.
Proceeds to Friends of St Columba’s Thomastown.
