Overview

Synopsis

David Hare’s The Blue Room reimagines Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde for a modern audience, presenting a series of ten interconnected encounters that explore the complexities of desire, intimacy, and power. Each scene features a man and a woman meeting in private, often in a bedroom, hotel, or other intimate space. Their conversations and actions reveal the shifting dynamics of seduction, vulnerability, and dominance. After each scene, one character moves forward into the next, creating a continuous chain that links individuals across different social classes, professions, and emotional states.

As the encounters unfold, the play paints a provocative portrait of modern sexuality, highlighting both the thrill and emptiness that can accompany physical intimacy. Beneath the eroticism lies a critique of the ways in which gender roles, social ambition, and personal insecurities shape human relationships. The cycle eventually comes full circle, connecting the final character back to the first, underscoring the endless and repetitive nature of desire.

Show Information

Book
Based on
Arthur Schnitzler’s 1897 play "La Ronde" (also known as Reigen)
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Mature Audiences (M)
Number of Acts
10
First Produced
1998
Genres
Drama, Dark Comedy, Tragedy
Settings
Contemporary, Simple/No Set, Multiple Settings, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
Modern-day metropolitan city, exploring shifting encounters in bedrooms and private spaces.
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Ideal For
College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult Characters, Small Cast

Context

Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

The Female

Lead

Female

Non-singer

The Male

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Songs

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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

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    A duologue is a scene or short play written for two characters, focusing on their interaction, conflict, or relationship. It emphasizes intimacy, allowing performers to explore dialogue-driven tension and emotional exchange. Duologues are often used in acting classes, auditions, and minimalist theatre pieces.

    A theatrical style that emphasizes simplicity in staging and dialogue to focus attention on core themes and performance.

    Naturalism is a theatrical style that seeks to depict life with accuracy, focusing on everyday speech, behavior, and settings. It often highlights ordinary people in realistic environments, emphasizing authenticity over theatricality. Emerging in the late 19th century, naturalism remains influential in contemporary drama.

    The Stanislavski System is an influential approach to acting that emphasizes psychological realism and truth on stage. It encourages performers to use personal experience, emotional memory, and objective-driven choices to create authentic characters. This method has shaped modern acting and is foundational to many contemporary training programs.

    Subtext refers to the unspoken thoughts, emotions, or intentions that lie beneath a character’s dialogue or actions. It provides depth and complexity to performances, allowing audiences to sense hidden conflicts or desires. Directors and actors often rely on subtext to create nuance and tension in storytelling.

    A silent, motionless stage picture created by actors to represent a scene, mood, or moment, often used to end a scene or act symbolically.

Videos

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Jason Engleman

Jason Engleman

Humming show tunes day and night.