Main pic: L-R: Shaun Laverty (Director), Michael Given-King, Donna-Marie Doherty, Daireen McMenamin and Mickey McMahon.
Ballybofey-based Butt Drama Circle (BDC) was a highly impressive runner up at the weekend’s All-Ireland One Act Drama Festival finals.
The event, which took place in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, held its awards ceremony last night.
The BDC’s entry was an original play, ‘The Root of All Evil’, which was written by the Balor Theatre manager, Conor Malone.
The production, directed by Shaun Laverty, starred Mickey McMahon, Daireen McMenamin, Donna-Marie Doherty and Michael Given-King.
It also received the Adjudicators Award for innovation and creativity and there was a nomination for Best Actor for Mickey McMahon. The powerful, thought-provoking play won numerous awards along the way to qualifying for last weekend’s finals.
The Root of All Evil is set in the distant mists of the past where there is a small village. Each morning the baker (Mickey McMahon) makes his bread and brings it to the market where he trades it for fish, milk, eggs – all the things his family needs. It’s a barter system where everybody contributes and nobody goes without.
One day, however, a mysterious stranger, played by Michael Given-King, arrives. He has nothing to trade. Instead he offers to pay with….coin. The effect of the introduction of this new ‘coin’ has devastating consequences for the baker, his family and fellow villagers.