The sanctuary lamp

Harry is an out-of-work strongman seeking employment (and shelter) in the sanctuary of a local church. The priest of the church hires him as a clerk, but insists that the arrangement cannot include domestic arrangements. He must leave at night and come back in the morning. And above all, he must maintain the flame in the pendant lamp that embodies Christ's presence in the church. Harry takes him up on half of the offer, working hard then sleeping over, as he hopes to escape from the perceived betrayal at the hands of his ex-partner Francisco. Meanwhile, an innocent young woman named Maudie enters; she too has been using the chapel as a doss-house. When Francisco arrives, the trinity is complete, ready for an entanglement of friendship, rivalry, and perhaps even freedom. 'The Sanctuary Lamp' was first produced by the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in 1975.