Night of comedy and drama in Quin

THE latest instalment of hilarious comedy by Clooney playwright Anita O’Loughlin comes to Quin this month as Spancilhill Drama Group present Here Lays Paddy Broderick.

 

It tells the story of a family eager to make a few bob by any means, including pretending their uncle is dead.

Anita, who has written over 30 comedic plays, tells The Clare Champion of the drama that unfolds when a family living in present times decide to throw a fake wake for their uncle.

“There’s a mother and a son. The son is JJ. He’s a bit simple but he’s into gambling and he’s always scratching lottery cards but he has no luck and he never has money. All he has is the dole. He’s living with his mother and their uncle, Paddy, lives with them as well. Paddy is always snoozing by the fire and he has an awful problem with flatulence.

“He comes in and out of conversation all night long. He’s asleep one minute and chatting another. Then there is the local neighbour Biddy; she practically lives with them. She lives next door and she gives them advice and bits of gossip,” Anita explained.

The plot comes about one morning when Biddy is over chatting with them and they hear the deaths announced on Kerry radio.

“There is one announcement about a wake in the house and they were celebrating the man’s ripe old age and his great life but it was no flowers and donations, if desired.

“So they say ‘isn’t that a great idea, sure Paddy you’re always sleeping wouldn’t you go to sleep there some night and we’ll say you’re dead’.

“They announce his death, so they have a mock wake. They bring people in to sympathise but they have a big box at the end of the bed saying donations if desired in favour of the unemployed. They come from every parish to it,” she outlined.

The family enrol the help of the local priest, Fr Dan, who is a bit conflicted about the whole thing and, as Anita describes, because “he’s a little bit doddery” anyway one minute he’s in on the prank and other times he’s out of it and he’s asking God for forgiveness”.

Act 1 sets the scene for the funeral preparation, while the second act is the drama that unfolds during the wake.

There are plenty of twists along the way with the arrival of a tax woman and the audience must wait and see if there’s any money to be made in this funeral business.

Anita explains she’s been writing plays for the last 20 years and each one comes by way of spontaneous inspiration.

“Something just comes to me. I used to do a lot of travelling with my father, who had a travelling shop and I met a lot of characters and I built a lot of my characters around people I met along the way 30 or 40 years ago. I could have a good 30 and 40 plays written at this stage,” she said.
There are 10 in the cast of Here Lays Paddy Broderick and there is also a big input from local people in the parish, who drop by to sympathise at the funeral.

There will be two showings of the play, this Saturday and on Saturday, December 22. Both productions take place in Quin Community Centre at 8pm.

Tickets are available in advance from cast members and will also be available on the door on the night.