Former Athlone teacher's comedy returns to a local stage 64 years on...

This week - more than 64 years after it was first performed on a local stage - a comic play written by former Athlone schoolteacher P.G. O'Dea will be staged in the town's Passionfruit Theatre. Described as "wonderful light entertainment," the play is called Johnnie's Britches and it will be performed from this evening (Wednesday) until Saturday. A three-act comedy, it is directed by Grainne Moore and features a cast of seven. The play first appeared in 'the Tech,' Athlone's Technical School, on St Patrick's Day in 1947. Its author, a native of Limerick, spent most of his working life in Athlone where he lived in Court Devenish. Mr O'Dea was a teacher in the technical school and he personally built a stage in its assembly hall for the first staging of the play in 1947. Advertisements were placed in the Westmeath Independent, and posters were displayed in the area announcing the performance by the Athlone Technical School Dramatic Class. P.G. O'Dea had modestly hidden his identity, using the pseudonym 'Morgan Brookes', but Brother Basil, a member of the school committee, revealed afterwards that the play the audience had enjoyed was, in fact, written by a member of the school's teaching staff, Mr O'Dea. Brother Basil said he did not know how Mr O'Dea found time to work at the play, as he "was working from morning 'til night" in the school. 'Johnnie's Britches' was just one of many plays written by Mr O'Dea, who moved to Dublin after his retirement from teaching. His daughter, Ruth Ryan, is an artist whose work includes an evocative portrait of the Passionfruit Theatre's founder, the late Joe Ducke. Illustrating how things have changed over the years, the director of the Passionfruit's production said that, when it was first performed, the play's name had to be abbreviated to 'Johnnie'. "This was because it was feared the inclusion of the word 'britches' in the title would challenge people's sensibilities," explained Grainne Moore. The play has toured the length and breadth of Ireland, and beyond, over the years. Grainne explained that it was decided to stage it in Athlone after one of its acts received a great response when read at the Athlone Literary Festival in 2010. She said the play was "a farce... sometimes when you go to the theatre the subject matter can be quite harrowing but this is wonderful light entertainment." The cast consists of Ronan Walsh (as Johnnie), Anne Egan (Mrs Rennan), Martin Kelleher (Ned Rennan), Mickey Cummins (Martin), Jennifer Cahill (Mary), Brian O'Neill (Peter) and Kayleigh Shine (Peggy). A website - www.pgodea.com - gives more details of the author's life and work. It summarises the plot of Johnnie's Britches as follows: "Bridget Rennan is at her wit's end. For seven years, servant girl Mary, though well-intentioned, has been the bane of her life. Johnnie isn't much better. He is awkward and bumbling, and his appearance leaves a lot to be desired. In particular, his britches need mending, urgently. "Bridget Rennan makes up her mind to finally rid herself of Mary - that is, until a mysterious letter arrives from America. Then the fun begins." The performances get underway at 8pm each night and tickets are priced €10. For bookings phone: 086 3338457.