Posted 06 May 2015
UCD Dramsoc sweeps the boards at student drama awards
Dramsoc members at UCD have scooped an impressive seven awards at the Irish Student Drama Association (ISDA) Festival.
The university was represented at the student awards festival by ‘The Waiting Room’, written and directed by Fiachra Fallon Verbruggen, ‘My Mother Said I Never Should’, written by Charlotte Keatley and directed by Rosa Bowden and ‘Bedbound’, written by Enda Walsh and directed by Lisa Barry.
Dramsoc’s productions were nominated in nine out of the 13 categories at the festival.
Pictured at the ISDA awards are the cast and crew of 'Mother Said I Never Should', l-r: Eimear Frew, Rosa Torr, Rosa Bowden, Katie O'Byrne and Caoimhe Finn
The most successful show of the festival, ‘My Mother Said I Never Should’, swept the boards, winning six awards: Best Lighting Design; Best Sound Design; Best Set Design (Tiarnan Fallon Verbruggen); Best Actress (Amy O’Brien); Best Director (Rosa Bowden) and Best Overall Production.
Rosa Bowden and Tiarnan Fallon Verbruggen, as well as Katie O’Byrne and Caoimhe Finn, who starred in the multi award-winning play alongside Rosa Torr and Amy O’Brien, are UCD Ad Astra Academy Performing Arts Scholars.
The play traces the difficult relationships between mothers and daughters and ultimately four generations of women in one English family. It explores the emotions, hopes and expectations of the women set against the rapidly changing social background of the 20th century.
Bedbound also won an ISDA award for Best Makeup Design.
In addition, Dramsoc received nominations in the categories of Best Ensemble and Best Actor (Aaron O’Farrell).
Rosa Bowden described the awards success as a significant “morale boost” for Dramsoc and the university in general.
“Winning the seven awards shows the great work that the university does between Dramsoc and UCD Ad Astra Academy in terms of our output in the performing arts world,” she said.
The Irish Student Drama Association (ISDA) is the umbrella organisation of Ireland’s most prolific third-level drama societies.
The association’s judges assessed each performance and chose the nominees and winners of the awards.
At the festival, UCD along with UCC, NUI Galway, Queen’s University Belfast, TCD, Maynooth University, IT Tallaght, Mater Dei and Mary I presented some 20 shows. Three shows were staged on each day of festival.
The free Fringe showcased the wide range of performing arts that take place in Ireland’s universities, including sketch comedy, spoken word, dance, short plays, stand-up comedy and much more.
UCC and TCD both won two awards on the night, NUIG won one award, and NUIG and TCD shared one between them.
UCD Dramsoc Alumni include some of Ireland’s best-known actors, playwrights and producers: actress Rosaleen Linehan, actor Killian Scott and director and playwright Conor McPherson.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
