Arundel Festival: Irish life

Arundel Festival stalwarts Drip Action Theatre Company turn their minds to rural Ireland for this year’s festival.

From Monday-Saturday, August 22-27 they will be in action at the Victoria Institute with Stones In His Pockets by Marie Jones (tickets: £10, £9 Victoria Club members and £6 students).

Dawn Smithers will direct Jones’ 1996 play which will be performed by Stuart Smithers and David Stephens who, as Charlie Conlon and Jake Quinn, will bring a cast of 15 to life.

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Ireland has a long history of being an extension of a Hollywood se. The Quiet Man and Ryan’s

Daughter to name but two, were filmed in Ireland using locals as extras, and it is this that Marie Jones explores in this multi-layered comedy.

Founded in 1987 by Bill Brennan and Chris Warren-Adamson, Drip Action Theatre Company takes as its remit the production of new and lesser-known work, often plays from Europe and USA, in an intimate space, and has to date staged well over 200 productions.

Home productions are performed in its studio theatre at The Victoria Insitute, and, at midsummer, in the atmospheric Chapel Barn in South Stoke.

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The company has toured to venues in the south of England and London, including schools and colleges, restaurants and bars - and HM Prison Ford. Its European connection has resulted in its own translations and premieres of French, German and Italian plays, and performances by invitation in France.

Drip Action was awarded charitable status in 1995 for its staging of innovative and educational theatre.

Tickets are available in advance from The Book Ferrett, High Street, Arundel in person or by phoning 01903 885727. For more information visit www.dripaction.co.uk or email [email protected].

Future productions include: October 18-22, Victoria Institute - Collaboration by Ronald Harwood; December 6-10, Victoria Institute - The Seven Ages Of Man, seven newly-commissioned plays based on the seven ages of man.

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