Main pic: The cast of the Butt Drama Circle’s production of ‘I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell’.
The Butt Drama Circle brings Bernard Farrell’s wonderfully unpredictable black comedy ‘I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell’ to the Balor Theatre next week.
It has rightly been described as a play that keeps its audience guessing from start to finish.
Directed by Bernie Thompson, this production has a stellar cast in Jack Quinn, Ken Lillis, Jean Curran, Niall McGonagle, Rachel Marley, Mickey McMahon, and Daireen McMenamin.
We begin with Paddy (Jack Quinn), the group attendant whose job is simply to lock the participants in for an overnight “encounter therapy session” and stay well clear of whatever unfolds inside. When Joe Fell (Niall McGonagle) arrives, Paddy is convinced he’s far too ordinary for this crowd — though it soon becomes clear that nothing about Joe is quite as it seems.
Inside the room, the group is led by American Suzy Bernstein (Rachel Marley), an endlessly enthusiastic coordinator who encourages honesty and openness, although the audience might be left to wonder whether Suzy is exactly who she claims to be.
Roger (Ken Lillis), as a veteran of the Encounter Therapy groups brings a flair for drama and self‑analysis, is always searching for the next great breakthrough. Peter (Mickey McMahon) arrives bristling with suspicion, while his wife Maureen (Daireen McMenamin) tries her best to keep the peace but occasionally stirs things up without quite meaning to. Rita (Jean Curran), sweet, simple and utterly devoted to the memory of her late husband, adds her own unique perspective to the night’s increasingly bizarre revelations.
Directed by Bernie Thompson, the play never settles into one tone for long — it shifts, swerves, and contradicts itself in the most entertaining ways. Whether you find it odd, funny, unsettling, or all three at once, it’s a great night out.
First staged in 1979 at the Peacock Theatre — with a young Liam Neeson in the cast — ‘I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell’ was Farrell’s first full‑length play. Its sharp humour and playful jab at self‑help culture have kept it popular for decades.
I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell is at the Balor Arts Centre on Thursday 5th, Friday 6th, and Saturday 7th February at 8pm. Tickets (€15) are available from the Balor Arts Centre at 074 9131840 or balorartscentre.com.
Butt Drama Circle brings ‘I Do Not Like Thee, Dr Fell’ to Balor stage was last modified: January 29th, 2026 by Staff Writer
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