Cloud 9

Play

Writers: Caryl Churchill

Overview

Show Information

Category
Play
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1979
Genres
Dark Comedy, Satire
Settings
Period, Simple/No Set
Time & Place
1880s africa and 1979 london
Cast Size
small
Ideal for
College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes adult, young adult characters

Synopsis

Cloud 9 is a satirical commentary of the British Empire and its rigid perspectives on gender roles and sexuality. The first act follows Clive, a colonial administrator, and his family as they try to contain the British colonies in Africa during the Victorian era. The second act follows the surviving characters in London, 1980. Between the acts, the characters have only aged 25 years and have been freed from their sexual repression, as well as from the Empire. In Cloud 9, adults play children; men and women play opposite genders; and a white man plays a black man. With its inventive casting and Churchill’s biting analysis of social structures, Cloud 9 is an intelligent and comedic show that will challenge audiences and actors alike.

Lead Characters


Cloud 9 guide sections