Plays

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The Challengers

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Padraic Colum 

  • Synopsis

    In this play about liberty, Colum explores the 25 'forgotten' years of Irish history in this artistic synthesis of the lives of Parnell, Joyce and Casement, each a challenger, each rejected and each abandoned. Their success is in the spiritual bequest of liberty.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

    • Cast size

  • Male

    19

  • Female

    4

  • Total

    23

Original Production

  • Date of First Production

    09 February 1966

  • Producer

    Produced by Lantern Theatre Club

  • Venue Notes

    Performed at the Lantern Theatre Club at 38 Merrion Square East, Dublin.

Original Cast  
Charles Stewart Parnell Pascal Perry
First Huntsman Paddy O'Broin
An Emissary Paddy O'Broin
Henry Grattan Paddy O'Broin
Harpist Austin O'Malley
Fr. Mathurin Austin O'Malley
John Stanislaus Joyce Austin O'Malley
Anna Parnell Alison Perry
Second Huntsman John Murphy (1)
An Emissary John Murphy (1)
James Joyce Alfred Murphy
The Hag of Glendalough Eugenie Merritt
Queenie Eugenie Merritt
Soldier Edward Clarke
Sir Roger Casement Paul Clarke
Piggott Darach Connolly
Owen Roe O'Neill Darach Connolly
An Emissary Anthony Glavin
Third Huntsman Vincent Linehan
An Emissary Vincent Linehan
Captain O'Shea Vincent Linehan
Mr.MacAnaspey Denis Merritt
Emma Cleary Colette McGlinn
Production Team  
Set Designer Paul Funge
Lighting Patrick Funge
Costumes Jo McGrath
Musical Director Kevin Byrne
Musician Kathleen Foley
Sound Effects Paul Clarke
Produced by Patrick Funge
Stage Management Miriam McCann
Stage Management Noreen Walsh
Set Painter Paul Funge
PR John Balding
Programme Austin O'Malley

Unpublished Scripts

  • Contact

    Records of the Lantern Theatre

  • Address

    National Library of Ireland, Manuscripts Department
    Kildare Street
    Dublin 2
    Republic of Ireland

  • Phone

    353 1 603 02 00

  • Email

    info@nli.ie

  • Website

    www.nli.ie

Rights Information

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    The Estate of Padraic Colum

  • Address

    c/o Cliona Colum Ní Shuilleabháin
    Republic of Ireland

  • Email

    cosullvn@tcd.ie

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from unpublished research material.