For Better or Worse in "Katie Roche"

Patrick Fitzgerald, Jon Fletcher, Margaret Daly, Wrenn Schmidt in Teresa Deevy's  "Katie Roche" in a
photo by Richard Termine

Irish playwright Teresa Deevy was a master of middle-class parlor-room dramas.

"Katie Roche," at the Mint Theatre throough March 24th, is about a young serving girl who marries the master of the househould. Like most of Deevy's characters, Katie (Wrenn Schmidt) aspires to better herself. She's sure she comes from "grand people" and it is her cockiness that Stanislaus Gregg (Patrick Fitzgerald) finds most appealing. Stan also has aspirations; he believes that marrying will help his career.

Wrenn Schmidt as Katie in "Katie Roche." Photo by Richard Termine.

Katie's ascent from housemaid to mistress of the house does not go smoothly, of course. Amelia Gregg  (Margaret Daly), Stan's sister is kind. On the other hand, their married sibling, Margaret Drybone (Fiana Toibin) is a meddling gossip. It's Katie, however, who is her own worst enemy, flirting with Michael Maguire (Jon Fletcher) and with disaster.

Jon Fletcher as Michael with Wrenn Schmidt as Katie. Photo by Richard Termine. 

 Deevy's gentle, well-mannered comedy gets off to a slow start in the first act, but then quickly finds its pace.

Wrenn Schmidt, as the headstrong Katie, Margaret Daly as her sweet employer turned sister-in-law, and Jon Fletcher as the charming working man who loses out on Katie's affections are stand-outs in this nice ensemble. Jonathan Banks knows how to direct an old-fashioned story for the maximum pleasure of its viewers.

Teresa Deevy's "Katie Roche" celebrate the ordinary, making it extraordinary. "Katie Roche" is a lovely evening (or afternoon, for that matter) in the theater.

To find out more about  "Katie Roche," The Mint Theatre, and the Deevy Project, please go to http://minttheater.org/.