KILDARE ENTERTAINMENT: Full steam ahead for An Nuadha Players’ 2023 Pantomime Sinbad

Rehearsals for An Nuadha Players’ 20th Christmas pantomime are in full swing.

Scripts are down, songs are being learned and dance moves perfected as the show dates draw near.

An Nuadha Players’ scriptwriter Martin Higgins has plenty of experience in writing pantomimes for professional companies for over 25 years.  The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, and both the Cork Opera House and the Everyman Theatre have staged many of his works over the years.  But Martin will admit that community theatre has a special place in his heart, and he has written every An Nuadha Players pantomime since the first was staged in 2001, including this year’s production, Sinbad.

“I am really looking forward to this year’s production” says Martin.  “As well as many of our reliable and experienced stalwarts, we have lots of bright young talent taking part this year.  This will make for a fresh and exciting show, and I can’t wait to see it take to the stage”

Grace McGrath, the show’s award-winning choreographer is enjoying the great atmosphere at rehearsals in what is her twentieth production with An Nuadha Players.

“This is a very young cast and it’s phenomenal to see the work they are doing” says Grace. “Many of these young actors have progressed from being ‘the kids’, to the chorus and dancers and are now the leads. This is how community theatre should work”.

Grace is enjoying working with the show’s director Ann Kelly and musical director Colin Sloan, both of whom have a long association with the group. Ann is also excited at seeing a whole new and enthusiastic generation taking to the stage. “It’s a great source of optimism for the group” says Ann “and a great source of pleasure to work with this production team and cast who will create the magic of Sinbad”.

The pantomime runs from Thursday 30 November until Sunday 3 December in the Aula Maxima in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. Show times are 7.30 pm Thursday to Saturday with matinées on Saturday and Sunday at 2.30 pm. For tickets, visit Annuadhaplayers.ie or call into Maynooth Bookshop,

An Nuadha Players are grateful for the support of their main sponsors , Kildare County Council and Life Credit Union.

A final word to Grace McGrath, “there will be lots of laughs, lots of fun, lots of dancing with great songs that audiences will recognise. So come along and sing along.”

To get everyone into a musical mood, An Nuadha Players are running a Music Bingo on Friday 10 November in Brady’s pub (strictly over 18s) in Maynooth.