Overview
Synopsis
It is the 1880s, and Dr. and Mrs. Catherine Givings live in a beautiful, seemingly sensible Victorian home, where Dr. Givings also runs his private medical practice. Electricity is still a novelty, and as the intelligent and free-spirited Mrs. Givings cares for her new child under the bright glow of a floor lamp, something else is buzzing in the next room. Dr. Givings, a kind -- if overly analytical -- scientist, has invented a device to relieve “hysteria” in both men and women. The brilliant new device is a vibrator (though Dr. Givings refers to it euphemistically as a “machine”). When Elizabeth, a grieving wet nurse, is brought in to care for the Givings’ baby, and Mrs. Sabrina Daldry, an anxious, depressed patient arrives for treatment, the Givings are forced to confront the realities of their marriage, their love for one another, and the nature of intimacy-- all without the help of an electrical current. Provocative, moving, and utterly charming, Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room is a comedy about passion, true love, and orgasms.
Show Information
- Book
- Sarah Ruhl
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2010
- Genres
- Comedy, Historical/Biographical
- Time & Place
- a home in a “prosperous spa town outside of new york city, perhaps saratoga springs.” late 1800s. the dawn of electricity.
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- female lead, professional theatre, ensemble cast, community theatre, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, marked playwright Sarah Ruhl’s Broadway debut. Ruhl had already gained popularity with her off-Broadway successes, including The Clean House at American Repertory Theater in 2004, Eurydice at Second Stage Theater in 2007, and Dead Man’s Cell Phone, starring Mary-Louise Parker at Playwrights Horizons in 2008. She is known for her poetic use of language, whimsical plotlines and characters, and an offbeat sense of realism that contains naturalistic
to read the context for In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Mrs. Catherine Givings coos over the cradle of her baby, Leticia (or “Lotty”,),. She delights in showing the baby the magic of her new electric lamp. Catherine’s husband, Dr. Givings, coldly passes through the room, only to momentarily return and greet her, before leaving again for the operating room. Alone again, Catherine assures Lotty that she will find her a suitable wet nurse-- near tears, she says, “My milk is not filling you up, is it?”
In the operating room, Annie,
to read the plot for In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Sorry! We do not currently have quizzes for this guide.
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
