OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Lady Gregory  Douglas Hyde (Dubhghlas de hÍde) 

• Setting

  Interior of a poorhouse.

• Synopsis

  Colum and Paudeen are two peasants bed bound in a poorhouse. When the matron leaves, they taunt each other and their banteer descends into a mock fight, pillows and other objects being hurled around the place to the amusement of the others in the room. When the matron returns to restore order she has brought Colum's sister, a recent widow. Colum is asked to return home with the sister but he is unsure as to whether life will be better with her. She assures him and he decides to go. Paudeen wishes to leave as well so Colum asks his sister to allow him to go with them. She refuses so Colum remains in the poorhouse. When they are left alone again, the squabble continues.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  One Act

Cast size

• Male

  2

• Female

  2

• Total

  4

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  02 April 1907

• Producer

  Produced by Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach

• Original Venue

  Abbey Theatre/Amharclann na Mainistreach
  

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme and Ireland's Abbey Theatre: A History 1899-1951 by Lennox Robinson, with additional information from press cuttings of the time.