Rathowen playwright's work is growing in popularity

A play penned by prolific local playwright Jimmy Keary is being performed in Canada this week. The Benevolent Irish Society is staging six performances of his play ‘The Maiden Aunt’ in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.

The final performance of this production on March 30 coincides with the opening performance of the Pillar Box Drama Group’s production of the same play in Longford.

Jimmy wrote the play in 1999 as the first of his three-act comedies. It was first staged in Killala, County Mayo in February 2000 and is still one of his most popular plays. The Rathowen writer’s works are popular with drama groups at home and abroad.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Jimmy said he has started work on his latest play. "It’s a new three-act comedy, provisionally titled ‘Marrying Mike’. This will be my 25th three-act comedy and I hope to have it finished by the autumn.

"Two plays of mine had their first production this month – ‘Little White Lies’ in County Galway and ‘Finders Keepers’ in County Offaly. Both were well received by audiences.

"At a recent production of one of my plays in Caltra, Count Galway, productions of two more of my plays were being advertised.

"There are 16 productions of my plays on stage around the country this month and productions of my work are continuing through to the end of April. There has been a great resurgence in the popularity of my plays after the pandemic."