Set among Irish-Americans living in

a blue-collar community just outside

Boston during the 1960s, The Play-

house is a bittersweet story about

ordinary lives and about one wom-

an s coming of age. The story opens

as young Maureen Mullen accepts

employment as a nurse in the home

of Charlie O Clair, a successful, po-

litically ambitious lawyer in his for-

ties who is unaware that he has

incurable cancer. Maureen, an or-

phan who was raised by her grand-

mother, is unexpectedly affected by

her contact with this strange man

who sustains himself in his waning

days by having her read Thucydides

aloud to him. They become lovers.