Caxton Theatre

- SYNOPSIS -

The story takes place in a home for retired musicians and centres on four retired opera singers. Three old friends Cecily, Reginald and Wilfred, who were quite famous in the opera world in their day, are enjoying their retirement, joking and reminiscing. They are also looking forward to Verdi's birthday on the 10th October, when the home will be having a concert in which the three will be performing together. However, their peace is destroyed with the arrival of Jean, an old friend of theirs who worked successfully on a ‘Quartet’ with them many years ago. The problem is, she was (and still is) not the easiest of people to get on with. Painful memories are brought to the surface again, particularly for Reggie, who had a disastrous marriage to Jean.

"Quartet" is a beautiful and delightful play that is both funny and touching and revolves around our 4 characters It is full of wicked and saucy humour about growing old and about art, hope and confidence for people who, in their retirement, fear they may no longer have much to offer. It is a play that shows that as we age we still have a zest for life and the same desires, needs and worries as we did when we were younger.

-Cast List-

2m/2f

Cecily (Cissy) (f) - gives the performer the opportunity to deliver a funny and touching performance as she begins to lose her faculties, confusing her day-to-day life with memories and dreams of India. She is a very bubbly and exuberant character who every one loves.
Jean (f) - shows a woman who is having a hard time coming to terms with her past and her future! Although she is at times abrupt and stern she is, at heart, a very scared and vulnerable lady. In her day she was the ‘grande dame’ and her stature, poise and delivery is in that manner.
Wilf (m) - still sees himself as the young vibrant impresario and spends his time chuckling about sex and often venting a lot of his sexual frustration at Cissy. Again, a lot of Wilf’s front is actually hiding a gentle and disappointed side to him. He is a very artisan enigmatic character.
Reginald (Reggie) (m) -requires the character to be reserved and pleasant one moment and then raging the next but again he is vulnerable and hides his vulnerability and does not want his past resurrected or his inadequacies being brought to light.