The much-loved comedy Stop It Nurse, written by Northern Irish playwright Sam Cree, will run for three nights at The Grove Hall in Bonniconlon, Co. Mayo, on Friday, March 20, Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, with curtain up at 8pm each night.

Directed by Tom Doherty, the play centres on hospital patients Bert Cooper and Harold Smiley, who find themselves sharing a ward. Cooper, played by Colin Highfield, is dealing with marital troubles, while Smiley, portrayed by Mitch Commane, struggles with a weak bladder. Despite their differences, the two men share one trait — they are both notoriously cantankerous.

Life on the ward soon becomes far more chaotic when two passionate GAA supporters are admitted. Sam McCracken, played by Jerome Tuohy, is a devoted Bonniconlon GAA fan, while Felix Devlin, played by Niall Langan, proudly backs Ardnaree Sarsfields. As the men get to know each other, sparks — and plenty of comedic chaos — begin to fly.

Adding to the mayhem are a colourful collection of characters including a sports commentator played by John Devlin, the stern Sister Louise portrayed by Nikki Lawrence, and the ever-cheerful Nurse Holmes, played by Elaine Mullarkey. Student Nurse Freda (Shannon O’Malley) and the mysterious Miss Cherry (Evie Murphy) also help stir up plenty of drama in the ward.

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Further complications arrive with the introduction of several strong-willed visitors, including Bert’s wife Martha Cooper (Margaret Devine), Phyllis Russell (Sarah Murray Durcan), her friend Susan (Angela McAndrew), and the flamboyant Dolores Maxwell (Peggy Kelly). Meanwhile, Mad McGurk, played by Sean Tolan, attempts to restore order — with questionable success.

Director Tom Doherty praised the cast and crew, who have spent months rehearsing for the production.

“This year we have six new members who we extend a very warm welcome to. With new faces comes new energy and it is just brilliant to see such a level of interest in our drama society,” he said.

“But of course we are blessed with our more experienced cast members too who continue to volunteer their time and energy year in year out.”

He also highlighted the strong community effort behind the production, thanking local organisations and volunteers who helped bring the show to life, including the local ICA group, the Bofield/Bonniconlon Community Employment Scheme and the backstage crew. Chairperson and stage manager Raymond Devine also received special mention for transforming The Grove into a hospital setting for the performances.

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The upcoming production follows the success of last year’s sold-out show, Pretend Sick, and continues the society’s tradition of staging lively and entertaining comedies.

“Comedies give audiences a chance to switch off and have a laugh, so we are very much looking forward to welcoming our audiences and hoping they will do just that — leave the world behind for an evening of laughter,” Doherty added.

Doors open at 7.15pm nightly at The Grove (F26 H426), with tickets priced at €12, available on the door (cash only). A raffle will also take place each night.