Weather and illness resulted in the curtain remaining down for the first two nights of this year’s Portadown Drama Festival.

The 86th festival was due to get underway in Portadown Town Hall last Thursday evening (March 9) but the venue was closed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council along with other local facilities due to adverse weather conditions.

The second night’s play – Toast – was also unfortunately cancelled due to sickness within the cast of Rosemary Players.

Proceedings, however, got underway on Saturday when Kilrush Drama Group from Wexford presented The Beauty Queen of Leenane.

Adjudicator Keith Thompson giving his adjudication on the first night of Portadown Drama Festival.

Drama secretary, Susan Gates got a rapturous applause when she opened the festival.

She said: "Portadown Drama Festival has a very loyal following, and approximately a dozen people braved the elements on the Thursday night not knowing proceeding had been cancelled.”

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Friday (March 17) is the final night of this year’s festival when the curtain goes up for Bridge Drama's performance of Big Big Sky at the earlier time of 7.30pm, following which adjudicator Keith Thompson will give his final adjudication and awards will be presented by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Greenfield.

A scene from Big Big Sky by Bridge Drama, the final play in this year's Portadown Drama Festival.

Big Big Sky by Bridge Drama is the final play in this year's Portadown Drama Festival.

Applause after Portadown Drama Festival gets underway after two-night delay