‘Steel Magnolias’ is sell-out success before opening night
Athlone Little Theatre’s first production of 2025 ‘Steel Magnolias’ by Robert Harling has proved a massive hit with audiences before it even opens on February 7 next.
All nine performances are now sold out online, however, there will be a very limited number of walk-in tickets available for the Sunday matinee performance on February 9 at 3pm on a first-come, first-served basis.
This hilarious and touching 1987 play, later turned into a hit film featuring Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts and Sally Field, gives us a glimpse into the lives of and captures the spirit of six women from the town of Chinquapin, in the southern US state of Louisiana.
While brimming from the start with laugh-out-loud comedy, this timeless story never shies away from its underlying themes. These include the loyalty of sisterhood, living with a chronic disease, and ultimately, the personal and collective strength derived from faith and resilience.
The play’s primary source of emotional depth is derived from six likeable female characters and the deep bonds of friendship between them. As life experience has taught us all, having friends to rely upon is the crucial ingredient in getting through tough times.
Director Ollie Hegarty’s goal, assisted by co-director Caroline Coyle, is that audience members will feel like they’re sitting right there in Truvy’s Hair and Beauty Salon with people who feel like friends. Achieving this ambitious objective relies heavily on the cast and crew’s ability to transport audience members back to the mid-1980s.
To start with, Ronan McGrane’s creative interpretation of the set design and build for Truvy Jones’ intimate hair and beauty salon is a great start in achieving that objective. The vintage wardrobe and big hairstyles also play a vital role in creating that 1980s mood.
Carefully placed posters of familiar celebrities of that era should lure audience members further down memory lane. To trigger even more of that nostalgic atmosphere, those of you who decide to occupy your seats a little earlier than the 8pm start time will be treated to a vintage 1980s soundtrack including Madonna, Whitney Houston, the Bangles, Cindy Lauper, Queen and Dexy’s Midnight Runners.
However, the single most potent ingredient in delivering a truly memorable night of theatre is the sheer calibre of these six steel magnolias. Each of them is capable of delivering such a convincing performance that you will forget you’re watching a play. As an ensemble, they will remind us that our close friends are always there to celebrate with us during the good times, laugh with us during the funny ones, and cry with us when our hearts are breaking.
Ann Hoey, who makes a welcome return to Athlone Little Theatre after a break of a number of years as M’Lynn, heads up the top-class cast. The always assured Claire Lemass is her daughter Shelby, while the fantastic Katherine Wheatley steps into the shoes of Dolly Parton from the film as Truvy.
Ousier is played by Lorraine Harney, while Tina O’Hara has the Southern drawl down to a fine art as Clairee. The final cast member is Rebecca Collins (Annelle), who is making her debut in Athlone Little Theatre after several successful turns in Kiltoom.
Other major roles off stage include stage manager Sinead Connolly, Joanna Grobosz is costume coordinator, lighting/sound is by Paddy Martin, assisted by John Allen. The makeup and wigs coordinator is Davina McMahon.
'Steel Magnolias' by Robert Harling runs from February 7th to 15th. Curtain up is 8pm, except for the matinee at 3pm on Sunday, February 9. A limited number of walk-ins are available for the Sunday performance on a first-come, first-served basis.