Branagh film to have charity premiere in aid of Offaly family centre

The Irish premiere of the film Love's Labour Lost will be held in Tullamore next Thursday in the Omniplex Cinema in the town'…

The Irish premiere of the film Love's Labour Lost will be held in Tullamore next Thursday in the Omniplex Cinema in the town's shopping centre.

The £30-a-head screening of the reworking of Shakespeare's play will be followed by a buffet supper and entertainment in the Bridge House Hotel.

The proceeds from the evening will go to the Offaly Women in Crisis organisation, which is working hard to build a family recreational centre in St Brigid's Place, Tullamore.

The organisation has identified a growing need for backup services and accommodation for women from the county who are faced with family difficulties. The event is being hosted by Tullamore Lions Club, which decided that it would try and help raise funds for Offaly Women in Crisis.

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Explaining the background to the event, local businesswoman Vivienne Clarke, who runs her own publicity organisation, Peach Publicity, said she returned to live in Tullamore some years ago.

She became friendly with local councillor Molly Buckley who at that stage was attempting to establish the women's centre. Vivienne, who is involved in film promotion in Ireland, said she had the idea of getting an Irish premiere as a fundraiser for the centre.

"When I heard that Love's Labour Lost was going to be released I approached George King of Pathe Film Distributors and he agreed to have the film premiered here," she said.

"I suppose it is an apt title for a film which will raise money for the Offaly Women in Crisis organisation," she said.

She said the event also received support from the Ward Anderson Group and from Mr Christy Maye, owner of the Bridge House Hotel, where the post-film reception will be held.

The cast includes Kenneth Branagh, who also directed the film, the Broadway star Nathan Lane, Alicia Silverstone, Natasha McElhone and TV stars Richard Briers and Timothy Spall.

Vivienne said that Briers, whose most famous role was in the TV sitcom, The Good Life, has been invited to come to the opening night in Tullamore.

She said that she expected him or some other member of the cast will attend the event, for which 300 tickets have been made available.

Tickets may be obtained by contacting Tullamore Lions Club member Sean Kavanagh on 086-2568432.