By Paddy Walsh
You may experience elements of turbulence but please be advised to remain in your seats.
To be strictly accurate when the Letterkenny Music and Drama production of ‘Boeing Boeing’ takes off at the An Grianan Theatre next week it will be one of the leading characters, Bernard, who will suffer the turbulence and while he does so, it won’t take the audience much persuading to stay in their seats.
Bernard’s problems are three fold – namely that he’s engaged to an air hostess. Not a difficulty per se but the problem is that he’s also betrothed to a second air hostess! And a third one….!
And still not a problem – unless his conscious gets him with all that additional baggage – until all three air attendants end up in the one Parisian apartment, each of them still believing they are the one and only.
Piloting this belly laughing production is Gaoth Dobhair native, Diarmuid Gallagher, no stranger to theatrical performances but in this case marking his debut in the director’s chair.
“We’ve done a number of shows in the past few years and this time we thought we’d go back into comedy. And the comedy we picked up on is a French farce first performed in the 60’s during the golden era of jet setting.”
The play starts off with the controlled Bernard, played by Darren Winston, juggling scheduling and timetabling. “But things start to go wrong and the scheduling and timetabling go out the window,” Diarmuid relates.
Director Diarmuid Ó Gallchóir giving Darren Winston some last minute tips in rehearsals.
Bernard’s friend, Robert (Kieran Kelly) arrives on the scene from the States and complications set in to disrupt Bernard’s careful planning much to the annoyance of housekeeper, Berthe (Elaine Gillespie).
It’s when the trio of air hostesses, played respectively by Sarah Mulholland, Laura Gleeson and Andrea Logue, arrive in the apartment that the play bursts into hilarity and farcical chaos.
“We’re coming out of a dark and dreary winter and people are looking for a bit of laughter,” says the director.
What they’ll find here is a lot of laughter and a stage set that consists of no less than six doors. “These doors are very important with all the comings and goings.”
The play, written by Marc Camoletti, was revived twenty years ago, providing mirth and mayhem on the stages of the West End and Broadway.
“It featured on the drama circuit here a few years ago but this is the first time it’s being performed at An Grianan and, I believe, in Donegal,” Diarmuid maintains.
Kieran Kelly, Elaine Gillespie and Laura Gleeson in a scene from Boeing Boeing.
The Letterkenny production was cast in December with intensive rehearsals getting underway in January – cast and crew meeting up three nights a week and on Sunday afternoons.
“We’ll have our first dress rehearsal on Thursday next, February 26 and then we’re going live on the following night.”
Cleared for take off on the Friday and Saturday nights and a guarantee of laughs a plenty.
And with the quality of cast and back stage personnel – the play is being produced by another Gaoth Dobhair native, Pluincead O’Fearraigh – there’s a real treat in store for audiences.
“Yes, we’re cleared for take off and telling people to fasten their seat belts.” Plane speaking from the director!
Tickets are going well so it’s advisable to acquire yours before complete sell out.
Otherwise it’s a case of ‘Boeing Boeing’ – Gone…..!
