Review: Witches of Eastwick - Malahide MDS

Society name: Malahide Musical and Dramatic Society

Show name: Witches of Eastwick

Adjudicator date of attendance: 18/02/2026

Malahide Musical and Dramatic Society presented a vibrant and engaging production of The Witches of Eastwick, bringing to life the musical’s blend of dark humour, supernatural intrigue, and sharp social satire. The story of three women discovering their power in a small, judgemental town demands strong storytelling, bold characterisation, and confident musical delivery. This production rose admirably to those demands, offering a visually striking and musically assured evening of theatre that balanced comedy, drama, and spectacle with skill.

At the centre of the production was the confident direction of EJ O Reilly, who brought a clear and thoughtful vision to the show. One of the most striking creative choices was the decision to place the story within a 1950s aesthetic. This concept worked extremely well. The heightened social expectations and underlying repression associated with the era aligned beautifully with the themes of gossip, conformity, and hidden desire that run throughout The Witches of Eastwick. The period styling gave the production a cohesive visual identity while also reinforcing the social dynamics that drive the narrative.

Storytelling throughout the production was consistently clear. Scene transitions flowed smoothly and the narrative remained easy to follow, reflecting careful planning and confident staging. Blocking was thoughtfully designed, allowing performers to move naturally through the space while maintaining visually engaging stage pictures. Character development was another notable strength. The director clearly invested time working with performers to explore the individual identities of the residents of Eastwick. This was particularly evident within the ensemble. Each performer appeared to have a clear sense of who their character was within the town, and these identities were sustained throughout the production. Rather than functioning as a generic chorus, the ensemble became a living community whose reactions and interactions enriched the storytelling.

The show’s inherent sexual humour was also handled with great care. The Witches of Eastwick includes a considerable amount of innuendo, which can easily tip into uncomfortable territory. Here, the direction struck an excellent balance. The humour remained playful and mischievous without ever becoming crude, allowing the comedy to land naturally with the audience. One small area that would benefit from additional attention in future performances was the portrayal of instrumental playing on stage. The violin and cello moments occasionally appeared uncertain, particularly in terms of bow technique and posture. A brief coaching session with a musician on basic instrument handling would significantly improve the realism of these scenes and enhance the overall polish of the production.

Musically, the production was in very capable hands under Musical Director Dave McGauran. The orchestra produced a full and well-balanced sound that supported the singers beautifully throughout the evening. The brass section was particularly impressive, especially during Dirty Laundry, where their energetic playing added considerable drive and excitement to the number. Tempos throughout the show were well judged. Musical numbers flowed naturally without ever feeling rushed, while slower moments were given enough space to breathe. Cue points between orchestra and stage were tight, reflecting strong rehearsal preparation and attentive musical leadership. Despite the orchestra being located in a separate room, the connection between pit and stage remained solid throughout the performance. Vocally, the cast delivered a very strong performance. Harmonies were secure and well balanced, particularly during ensemble sections. The blend achieved by the three witches was especially impressive. When singing in unison they produced a beautifully unified tone, and when their lines expanded into harmony the result was genuinely stirring. Diction across the cast was excellent, ensuring that lyrics and storytelling were clearly communicated to the audience.

Choreography by Karen McCourt worked seamlessly within the stylistic framework of the production. It was evident that the director and choreographer shared a unified vision for the show’s storytelling and visual tone. Movement always supported the narrative rather than distracting from it, and the choreography felt motivated by character and situation. A particularly commendable aspect of the choreography was how well it suited the abilities of the cast. Rather than forcing performers into movement styles that might have felt uncomfortable or beyond their capabilities, the choreography leaned into their strengths. This resulted in a confident ensemble where no performer appeared overwhelmed or excluded.

The opening number immediately captured the audience’s attention and established the tone of the evening. Some moments were deceptively simple yet extremely effective in communicating character relationships and the social dynamics of the town. Dirty Laundry proved to be a clear highlight of the show. The choreography complemented the musical energy perfectly, creating a vibrant and entertaining number that showcased both individual performers and the ensemble as a whole. Dance with the Devil was another standout moment, with movement that cleverly matched the dark humour and supernatural atmosphere of the scene.

Among the leading performances, Kevin Hartnett delivered a charismatic and engaging portrayal of Darryl Van Horne. Darryl is a character who must balance charm, danger, and mischief, and Hartnett captured these qualities effectively. His suave stage presence ensured that he commanded attention whenever he appeared, while vocally, he delivered a strong and confident performance. His ability to subtly shift his approach when interacting with each of the witches added welcome nuance to the character.

Yasmine Missaoui gave a beautifully natural performance as Alexandra Spofford. Her portrayal felt grounded and believable, making Alex a sympathetic and relatable figure. Her dry wit and sarcasm were delivered with excellent timing, and vocally, she displayed a warm and expressive voice. The moment where Alex begins to fall for Darryl might have benefited from a slightly deeper exploration to make the emotional transition even clearer.

As Jane Smart, Rebecca Gamble created a wonderfully distinctive character. Her physicality immediately communicated Jane’s awkward intelligence, while still revealing an underlying strength and defiance. Vocally, she delivered an outstanding performance with impressive power and control. The cello-playing moments would benefit from some additional guidance in bow technique, but this was a small detail that did not detract from an otherwise excellent portrayal.

Nicole Kennedy brought warmth and sensitivity to the role of Suki Rougemount. Her portrayal captured the character’s meekness and vulnerability beautifully, while allowing Suki’s growth to unfold naturally over the course of the story. Vocally, she displayed strong control and richness of tone, and her interactions with Clyde provided several enjoyable moments.

Together, the three witches created something truly special. Their vocal blend was exceptional, often sounding like a single voice when singing in unison. When harmonies emerged, the effect was powerful and emotionally resonant. Just as importantly, their friendship felt authentic. The opening scenes, particularly those set in Alex’s living room, created the genuine impression that the audience was observing a real and long-standing friendship.

Jennifer McGuire Noirant was excellent as Felicia Gabriel, delivering a wonderfully sharp portrayal of the town’s most formidable busybody. Vocally, she was extremely impressive, particularly during Dirty Laundry, where her powerful belt transitioned seamlessly into a striking head voice with an operatic flourish. Some of the magic trick moments were slightly visible in their mechanics, but this did little to diminish an otherwise superb character performance.

Seamus Sullivan provided plenty of humour as Clyde Gabriel. His portrayal of the downtrodden husband was both sympathetic and highly entertaining. His drunken physical comedy was particularly effective and generated genuine laughter from the audience, while his interactions with Felicia created a believable and amusing marital dynamic.

Among the supporting cast, Siobhan McNamara delivered strong vocals and a confident stage presence as Jennifer Gabriel, particularly in the character’s later transformation. Ben Cole brought excellent comic timing to Michael Spofford, with his performance in Dance with the Devil proving especially memorable. Darren O’Reilly offered understated comedy as Fidel, maintaining a wonderfully stoic expression that made his performance all the more amusing.

Megan Towell impressed as the Little Girl, with expressive facial acting and a strong singing voice. The trio of Orla Connolly, Pauline Maguire, and Irina Pilos as the town’s busybody residents worked extremely well together, each bringing distinct characterisation while functioning as a cohesive comedic group. The featured ensemble members, Sean Lonergan as Ed Parsley, Eoin Doyle as Joe Marino, Matt Jenkins as Raymond Neff, Katie O’Connor as Rebecca, Jean Bennett as Marge Perly, Eoin O’Connor as Toby Bergman, Sarah Lonergan as Marcy Wells and Colin Graham as Homer Perly, likewise contributed excellent character work, strengthening the sense of a lively community within Eastwick.

The ensemble as a whole were outstanding. Their commitment to characterisation was evident throughout the production. Vocally they provided strong support to the principals, while their movement work remained energetic and focused. Their ability to maintain character throughout choreography added depth to the staging and helped bring the town of Eastwick vividly to life.

Visually, the production was extremely impressive. The set design was beautifully constructed and clearly finished with great care. The colour palette complemented both the costumes and lighting design, while the backlit windows added depth and atmosphere to the stage picture. The inclusion of working doors within the house structures was a simple but highly effective detail.

Projections were particularly striking and enhanced the storytelling with beautifully designed imagery. Because the set was asymmetrical, however, the projection screen occasionally appeared slightly off-centre in relation to the scenery, which created a minor visual imbalance.

Stage management handled the numerous scene changes with evident dedication, although slightly tighter coordination between lighting, projection, and stage crew would further improve the smoothness of transitions. On occasion, scene changes began before full blackouts were achieved, leaving crew momentarily visible.

Lighting design produced some stunning stage images. The use of colour complemented the overall design aesthetic beautifully, and the window specials created particularly atmospheric moments. The operator appeared to have to adjust the positioning of the lighting live on several occasions, suggesting that the set pieces were not correctly positioned. Greater coordination with the stage management team for correct spiking would mitigate this issue. One small technical issue involved a difference in colour temperature between front lighting fixtures, which occasionally resulted in one performer appearing brighter than the others.

Sound design was generally very strong, with a good balance between orchestra and singers. A few individual lines were lost during busy ensemble numbers, but overall clarity remained good.

The costumes, hair, and makeup were a true highlight of the production. Costumes were beautifully fitted and thoughtfully designed, with a cohesive colour palette that supported the period concept. The decision to coordinate husband-and-wife pairings added a subtle visual storytelling element. Hair and makeup styling captured the 1950s aesthetic perfectly and added greatly to the authenticity of the production.

The Front of House team also played an important role in the success of the evening. From arrival at the venue, audience members were welcomed warmly and guided efficiently through the ticketing and seating process. The atmosphere created before the performance was lively and inviting, reflecting the strong community support behind the society.

Overall, Malahide Musical and Dramatic Society delivered a confident and thoroughly enjoyable production of The Witches of Eastwick. With imaginative direction, strong musical leadership, impressive visual design, and a committed cast, the production captured both the humour and the darker magic of this fascinating musical. With a few small technical refinements, the already high standard demonstrated here could be elevated even further. It was a vibrant and memorable evening of theatre, and one the society should be very proud of.