Philadelphia, Here I Come! centres around Gareth (Gar) O’Donnell’s move to America, specifically Philadelphia. The play takes place on the night before and morning of Gar’s departure to America. Gar is portrayed by two characters, Gar Public (“the Gar that people see, talk to, talk about”) and Gar Private (“the unseen man, the man within, the conscience”). Gareth lives with his father, S. B. O’Donnell (“a responsible, respectable citizen”) with whom he has never connected. Gar works for his father in his shop and their relationship is no different from that of Boss and Employee. Private makes fun of S.B. calling him “Screwballs” and parodying his nightly routine as a fashion show.