Once a Catholic
by Mary OMalley

Name: Once a Catholic
Brand: Mary OMalley
SKU: 9780573613593
Rating: 3.44 (1 reviews)

Once a Catholic Book Cover — Once a Catholic Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

1950s Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes Comedy

Synopsis

This extremely funny comedy based on the author's school days in a London convent does not necessarily finish the title phrase with "always a Catholic."

Rather, this play, a celebrated prize-winner and a critical success, is about the resilience of children to survive in spite of, not because of, their upbringing and indoctrination.

All the girls in Class 5A are called Mary (apart from one Maria).

One, an innocent who has not yet learned the gentle art of deception, finds herself the perpetual scapegoat.

The author concentrates principally on the amusing ways the girls deal with the dogma constantly pumped into them.

Hilarious moments have a more serious underlying theme: how true does much of this remain today?

Press Reviews

"Sharp and evocative...refreshing play that will be a source of much merriment among the devout and lapsed."
— Plays and Players

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
MOTHER PETER a tall, stout, middle aged Irish teaching nun.	female	—	a tall, stout, middle aged Irish teaching nun.
MOTHER BASIL a short, fat, elderly Irish teaching nun.	female	—	a short, fat, elderly Irish teaching nun.
MOTHER THOMAS AQUINAS a tall, thin, fairly young and very refined Irish nun. Headmistress of the Convent of Our Lady of Fatima.	female	—	a tall, thin, fairly young and very refined Irish nun. Headmistress of the Convent of Our Lady of Fatima.
MARY MOONEY a 5th former. She is plain and dowdy and has ginger hair, freckles and a good soprano singing voice.	female	—	a 5th former. She is plain and dowdy and has ginger hair, freckles and a good soprano singing voice.
MARY MCGINTY a well developed, pretty, blonde 5th former.	—	—	a well developed, pretty, blonde 5th former.
MARY GALLAGHER a sensible, attractive, dark haired 5th former.	—	—	a sensible, attractive, dark haired 5th former.
FATKER MULLARKEY an Irish Priest.	—	—	an Irish Priest.
MR. EMANUELLI a very old Music Master with a foreign accent. He has long, white hair, a bandage on one leg, a slipper on one foot, two walking sticks and a baritone voice.	male	—	a very old Music Master with a foreign accent. He has long, white hair, a bandage on one leg, a slipper on one foot, two walking sticks and a baritone voice.
DEREK a tall, thin Teddy Boy in his late teens.	male	—	a tall, thin Teddy Boy in his late teens.
CUTHBERT a Catholic 6th former with a fairly bad case of acne.	—	—	a Catholic 6th former with a fairly bad case of acne.
PUPILS OF FORM 5A	—	—	—
MARY O'GRADYMARY HENNESSYMARY MURPHYMARY FLANAGAN	—	—	—