CLICK ON THE ARROWS ABOVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PICTURES
The vibrant Naas CBS School Drama Club had a night of one act plays recently in The Moat Theatre, Naas.
Two plays, Vandals, Vandals, Vandals and, Liberated were performed in three shows over two days, where over four hundred people got to see the work of this dynamic school drama club.
Written by Tom Noone and directed by Shona McCarthy, Vandals, Vandals, Vandals addressed the burning issue of climate change and was inspired by the destruction of the Sycamore tree at Sycamore gap in the North of England.
READ MORE: €953k boutique hotel planned for this popular Naas pub
Liberated, written and directed by Tom Noone, resonated with many, as it told the story of the late Zoltan Zinn Collis, a native of Athy, who had survived the Holocaust.
Zoltan, who raised his family in Athy, passed away in 2012, but had been a regular visitor to Naas CBS over many years, where he would tell his story to Transition Year students.
Both plays have won awards recently at The Class Act Schools Drama Competition and both received high praise from adjudicators and audience members.
Liberated tells the story of Zoltan, who originally hailed from Kosice in present day Slovakia, who was lucky to escape the work camp of Bergen Belsen where thousands perished, including his mother and sister. His father had been sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp where he was executed with countless others.
The school drama group is led by the very experienced teachers, Shona McCarthy, Paul Roberts, Megan Ward, Gillian Kelly, Elaine Cowper and Tom Noone and the students learn so much about theatrics, acting, stage craft and of course storytelling and each year they consistently do well in school’s drama competitions.
On the final night of the performances in May, many invited guests and dignitaries were present including Zoltan’s wife and two daughters, Nichola and Siobhan.
Also in attendance was Mayor of Naas, Fintan Brett, and a contingent from the Holocaust Education Ireland organisation.
Lynn Jackson, Operations and Programme Manager of Holocaust Education Ireland was in attendance with Suzi Diamond, a Holocaust survivor, who was in Bergen Belsen with Zoltan.
On the same evening, the school also held its annual drama awards. Adjudicated by Phil Kingston, the Community and Education Manager of The Abbey Theatre, he described the night in glowing terms and credited the ‘excellent work’ of the teachers and students alike. He spoke of the ‘important role’ that drama and theatre has in bringing meaningful topics and stories to life.
For Nichola Zinn Collis, the play Liberated was an opportunity for her and her family to see her father’s story on stage.
“Dad’s story was very moving and really stirred emotions for us all, the students were amazing,” she said.
Lynn Jackson said the play was “a powerful adaptation of Zoltan’s story, an act of collective memory and mourning’.
Zoltan Zinn Collis was brought to Ireland as a young child by Dr Bob Collis after the war.
Liberated is a powerful adaptation of Zoltan’s story that captures the terror, hope, and humanity of Slovakian Jewish families hiding and imprisoned during the Holocaust.
The production not only retold a personal story, but also served as a vital reminder of the horrors of Nazi persecution and the subsequent attempted annihilation of an entire people.
Mayor Fintan Brett also acknowledged the profound themes of the play.
“Liberated really hit home the necessity for freedom of speech, independence of all nations and above all the need for human beings to respect each other regardless of colour or creed. What’s happening in Ukraine and the Middle East copperfastens the above,” he said, “The play really is timely.’
At the end of the evening, special guest and adjudicator Phil Kingston presented awards to the group. Best Actor award went to Luke Ryan, Best supporting actor went to Conor Morgan. The adjudicator’s award went to Conall White, while the Outstanding Contribution award went to Elliot Plant. While Naas CBS is often celebrated for its sporting achievements, especially in Gaelic Football, the creative arts are a huge part of school life.
“The creative arts are at the heart of who we are as a nation so its incumbent of us to nourish and develop a passion and love of them within our school community. Importantly it gives an opportunity to our students to unleash that wonderful hidden creative urge to perform and bring to life the two excellent plays,” said teacher, Tom Noone.
