Overview
Synopsis
On a moonless night in August when the sea trout are ready to run, the Man brings his new girlfriend to the remote family cabin where he has come to fish since he was a boy. However, she is not remotely interested in the sport and would rather stay in with her book. When she finally agrees, the next time we see the Man he is reporting his girlfriend as missing, lost in the darkness. But it soon becomes clear that she is not the only woman he has brought here – or indeed the last. Weaving between girlfriends at different times, the Man’s self-destructive pattern of behavior becomes evident. A solitary loner at heart, he is seeking love but is always ultimately disappointed. While the women may come and go, the trout will never leave him.
Show Information
- Book
- Jez Butterworth
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 2012
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- A remote country cabin, Present Day
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Nick Hern Book
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters
Context
The River was Jez Butterworth’s much anticipated next play following the success of Jerusalem. It premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre in October 2012, starring Dominic West, Laura Donnelly and Miranda Raison. In 2014, The River opened on Broadway for a limited engagement with Hugh Jackman in the lead role.
The River runs for 80 minutes and is usually performed without an interval._
to read the context for The River and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Inside the Man’s cabin, the Woman is admiring the sunset through the window. She calls for the Man to come and look at it but he is preoccupied with checking through his fishing equipment. She is annoyed when he refuses as he knows exactly what it looks like. She tells him that she isn’t coming fishing as she wants to finish her book. The Man is astounded as this is the one night in the year when the sea trout are running, ready to catch. The Woman has no interest as she finds it too hard...and
to read the plot for The River and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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
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Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher