• Caryl Churchill's play Cloud 9 combines realism and expressionism to convey a message about accepting different people and not limiting them to preconceived social roles.

• Act One

  During the Victorian Era the Colonial Administrator Clive lives with his wife Betty, son Edwards, daughter Victoria, servant Joshua, and governess Ellen. A widow Miss Sanders and explorer Harry Bagley ask Clive to shelter them from the rioting outside. Clive makes sexual advances on Miss Sanders and his wife makes advances on Harry, but Harry prefers her son Edward and their servant Joshua. He also makes a pass at Clive who reacts with horror. When Ellen is revealed to be a lesbian by declaring her love for Betty she is forced to marry Harry. The act ends at their wedding with Joshua pointing a gun at Clive. Edward sees the gun, but does not say anything to stop the shooting

• Act Two

  Although Act Two takes place about 100 years later only 25 years have passed for the characters. During this time Betty has left Clive, Edward is in a gay relationship with Gerry, and Victoria has left her husband Martin. Victoria leaves Martin and starts a relationship with Lin. Edward and Gerry argue over commitment and break up. One night Lin, Victoria, Edward, and Martin attend a drunken celebration of the goddess during which time characters from Act One appear. The play ends with Betty accepting her son and Betty from Act One reappears and embraces her.

• Fast Facts

  1. Written by [http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryl_Churchill Caryl Churchill]
  2. First performance: February 14, 1979, at the Dartington College of Arts
  3. Contains two acts
  4. Genre: Drama—Satire
  5. Published by [http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Routledge Routledge]
  6. Symbols: Guns and dolls
  7. Themes: Identity and gender confusion
  8. Act One set in Africa during the Victorian era
  9. Act Two takes place 100 years later in 1979
  10. Has elements of political and social commentary
  11. Different actors portray characters in Act One and Act Two

• Quotations

  1. "God knows I do everything I can to make you stand on your own two feet. Just be yourself. You don't seem to realize how insulting it is to me that you can't get yourself together." — Martin
  2. "You should always respect and love me, Edward, not for myself, I may not deserve it, but as I respected and loved my own father, because he was my father. Through our father we love our Queen and our God." — Clive

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Caryl Churchill | Theater | Feminism | Top Girls | Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? | Downstairs | Vinegar Tom | A Mouthful of Birds | Bertolt Brecht | David Lan

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