The Vertical Hour

Play

Writers: David Hare

Overview

Show Information

Book
Category
Play
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2006
Genres
Drama
Settings
Contemporary, Simple/No Set
Time & Place
Shropshire, UK and Yale University, 2010s
Cast Size
small
Ideal for
College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Female
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes mature adult, elderly, adult, young adult characters

Synopsis

Nadia, a Yale professor and former war correspondent, travels with her fiancé, Philip, to England to visit with his reclusive father, Oliver. A doctor and serial philanderer, Oliver welcomes the young couple to his remote home near the Welsh border. Throughout their stay, Nadia and Oliver engage in passionate discussions about love, death, marriage, family, and politics. Through these conversations, Nadia is forced to reevaluate her staunch beliefs and her relationship with Philip. Meanwhile, Philip struggles to balance his estranged relationship with his father and his blossoming relationship with Nadia. Examining the contradictions of personal philosophies and public politics, David Hare’s The Vertical Hour is an excellent choice for a small cast and a great star female vehicle,

Lead Characters


The Vertical Hour guide sections