“You won’t know me when I come back”
Teresa Deevy (1894 – 1963) was an Irish dramatist and writer. She was at the height of her fame when the Abbey Theatre rejected Wife to James Whelan amid the growing conservative backlash of the 1940s. Now, in 2026, Mint Theater’s Jonathan Bank makes an overdue reintroduction to Ireland’s forgotten genius with this timeless ensemble play that pits love against pride.
Her play, a timeless story of love and pride, reintroduces Ireland’s forgotten genius to London audiences.
1937, a small Irish town. Nan Bowers and her friends are waiting to hear which local lad has won a life-changing job in Dublin. James Whelan shows up triumphant and ready to celebrate with his sweetheart, Nan, only to discover that she has plans of her own. Seven years later, James comes home, flush with success. His return will affect not only Nan but the whole town.
Tracing seven years in the life of James Whelan, Deevy’s play explores ambition, compromise, and the role of women in Ireland, as personal desire collides with social expectation.
Mint Theater Company’s Artistic Director Jonathan Bank directs Darragh Feehely, Clíona Flynn, Eavan Gaffney, Molly Hanly, Fiach Kunz, Patrick McBrearty, David Rawle, and Benjamin Reilly.
Jonathan Bank today said, “Wife to James Whelan is a play that challenges theatergoers to hear the unspoken thoughts of its characters—and there is no better place for that than the intimate Jermyn Street Theatre. Having worked on Deevy’s plays since Mint Theater Company launched the ‘Teresa Deevy Project’ in New York in 2010, I now look forward to learning from an exceptional Irish cast – assembled by the brilliant casting director Sarah Jones.
Jermyn Street Theatre, 16B Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6ST
Box Office: 020 7287 2875
Booking and Full Details: www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk
