Bennett Gale will perform the Irish tale, The Chronicles of Oggle¸ on Thursday, August 31 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Ashland Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

This one-man show is an engaging, funny, sad, and inspiring tale of growing up in Ireland in the 60s and 70s, and the influence of the Catholic Church on society. An outstanding performance piece for one male actor, The Chronicles of Oggle is by turns comical, lyrical, and violent. Set in Ireland in the middle of the twentieth century, the play tells the story of Pakie (short for Patrick), a boy raised first in an orphanage and then by a local foster family, living constantly under the shadow and influence of the Catholic Church.

Written and originally performed in Ireland by Peter Gowen, the play offers a single performer the option to inhabit many characters, as Pakie tells a story that weaves together shopkeepers, priests, Christian Brothers, fellow students, and more. It is a heartbreaking story of small towns and smaller minds. It has only been performed in the United States by Bennett Gale, of Northern California, to rave reviews.

This free performance is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library. For more information, please call 541-774-6996 or visit jcls.org.