Overview
Synopsis
In the turbulent years before the Russian Revolution, political activist Alexander Herzen is undergoing a change of philosophy. The deaths of his wife and young son have forced him to question the meaning of life, sacrifice, and social change: Is there a way to have a revolution without death and destruction? Together with his best friend Nicholas Ogarev, Herzen sets out to begin a revolution by the pen rather than the sword. But, as the next generation of radicals comes up more hungry and violent than ever, Herzen finds his path to peaceful progress is no less fraught.
The final play in Stoppard’s Coast of Utopia trilogy revels in the tension between order and chaos, lurching from one raucous scene to the next, challenging the viewer to keep up with overlapping conversations, changing allegiances, and storms of emotion.
With a total run-time of over nine hours and 70 characters, the Coast of Utopia is a daunting theatrical cycle, and has been performed to great acclaim throughout the USA and Russia. In 2007, the play and its performers won a total of seven Tony awards.
Show Information
- Book
- Tom Stoppard
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2002
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- London, Geneva, 19th Century
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters
Context
The Coast of Utopia trilogy (Voyage, Shipwreck, and Salvage) is Tom Stoppard's epic re-telling of the stories of the Russian radicals who wrote, philosophized, and inspired revolution between 1833 and 1868. The plays are based on extensive research into the period, and most of the more than 70 characters are based on actual historical figures,
to read the context for The Coast of Utopia: Salvage and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
ACT ONE
At his house in London, Alexander Herzen has fallen asleep in an armchair. His wife, Natalie, died a year earlier, and his three children - Sasha (age 13), Tata (age 8) and Olga (age 2) - are attended by a nanny, Maria Fromm. Alexander is dreaming that he and his family are visiting Parliament Hill, and that while there, he sees a group of famous political refugees from around Europe, including Karl Marx. Alexander is awoken by the arrival of a visitor: Malwida von Meysenbug - one
to read the plot for The Coast of Utopia: Salvage and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
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
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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