Life During Wartime

Initially, we just couldn’t get our heads around the idea that a 16-year-old from Kilmacanogue had managed to write and was about to direct a World War 2 drama set entirely inside a bunker.

And then we discovered that the 16-year-old in question, one Caoimhe Flynn, had been threading the boards ever since she was just six years old.

And ten years is plenty of time to sort out a lot of the dos from the don’ts when it comes to putting on a show.

And from that very first performance as unlikely dwarf Argh! in the Kilmac Youth Drama Group’s production of Snow White & The Several Dwarves, it was clear that Caoimhe Flynn was a natural. If you can base an entire performance around the word “Argh!”, well, that’s takes talent, determination and a certain animal growl from deep down inside.

So, we shouldn’t have been all that surprised to discover that Soldier, Smoker, Lipstick, Joker is the work of one young woman, as Caoimhe’s plainly got an old head on her 16-year-old shoulders, given her years of plays, short films and experimental theatre. Last year, she picked up a merit certificate at the Bray One Act Drama Festival, along with an award for Best Youth Actress.

Born out of the long-running Kilmacanogue Dramatic Society – which, we reckon, started sometime in the late 1940s – the Kilmac Youth Drama Group is headed up by noted sax maniac Clare Stephens, and has proven dizzingly productive over its first eight years.

“It’s an environment that makes creativity fun,” explains Caoimhe, who initially signed up alongside her best friend – and Clare’s daughter – Aisling, “and that just means there’s always something new to work on, something new to get excited about. I can’t wait for those Friday get-togethers…”

For now, the Kilmac Youth Drama Group are deep in rehearsals on Soldier, Smoker, Lipstick, Joker before its big debut at The Whale on Thursday, February 28th. So, we were lucky to grab 10 minutes with Caoimhe to find out where she’s coming from, and where she might just be going…

You can find out more about Soldier, Smoker, Lipstick, Joker debuting on Thursday, February 28th at The Whale right here, and find out more about Kilmac Drama Group on Facebook right about here.