Composers and their stage works 


THE FOURTH WALL

A. R. Gurney

In this love letter 'to the theatre, Gurney uses the stage to explore, quite comically, our place in the world today. Set in the living room of a contemporary, upper-class, Buffalo, New York, couple, the author sharpens his wit on such topics as cola wars, politics, and even the very audiences who attend plays.

Peggy has redecorated the living room and her husband, Roger, can't stand it. Peggy's usual, exquisite taste was overcome by a mysterious lapse which caused her to re-do the room as if it were a stage set. Everything faces one wall, the "fourth wall," which she's left bare, and which is really the audience. Unable to cope any further, and needing someone to talk to, Roger asks their old, dear friend, Julia, to fly up from New York. Julia agrees that something strange is going on, especially since everyone who enters the room begins to behave as if they were acting in a play, or even a musical when occasionally someone feels the urge to sing a Cole Porter song.

Julia, affected by the room, suggests Roger call "976NUTS" and have Peggy put away, which would allow the two of them to have the affair they've never before thought about. Roger can't do that and explains that he's got one hope left: Floyd, a local theatre professor.

Roger asks Floyd to come over in hopes that he can "Doctor" Peggy's play and bring it to a close, thus allowing him and Peggy to resume their happily married life. But that doesn't work either as Floyd sees what's going on and is in complete agreement with Peggy.

Peggy, following in St. Joan's footsteps at Floyd's urging, decides she must do what she must do and set's out to break the fourth wall in order to connect with her feelings. Roger rushes after her, leaving Julia and Floyd with a final Porter tune.