“It is The Cocktail Party’s reconciliation of drawing room and divinity that has elicited the most praise. For, as the New York Times wrote in a dubious compliment, ‘Mr Eliot is very earnest about two fundamental things: Poetic style in the modern drama and the sickness of the soul in contemporary life. He has to be judged both as a literary craftsman and a moral prophet.’ Despite Eliot’s wry humour at the expense of his characters in the first act, his matter is, ultimately, their souls, and the choice which must be made between gravity and social grace.”
November 1 — 1pm New York / 6pm London — online.
Hosted by Anna Gát
After RSVP-ing, you can pick a role to read here.
Characters:
Edward Chamberlayne
Lavinia Chamberlayne
Celia Coplestone, with whom Edward has had an affair
Peter Quilpe, who yearns for Celia
Julia Shuttlethwaite
Alexander MacColgie Gibbs
An Unidentified Guest, later identified as Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly
A Nurse-Secretary (secretary to Sir Henry)
See you there!
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