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Overview

Synopsis

Bound East for Cardiff is one of Eugene O’Neill’s earliest plays, written for the Provincetown Players in 1916. The one-act play depicts a dying sailor in his final throes of life. As a heavy fog surrounds the ship, Yank lies convulsing in pain in a cabin bunk, with his friend and colleague, Driscoll, by his side. As Yank sees the blackness coming towards him, the two men agree that a life spent on the seas holds little pleasure or fulfillment. After a life spent running, Yank now faces the potential nothingness that follows. The play is significant for its early use of naturalistic dialogue and the symbolic use of the fog, which lifts as Yank takes his final breaths.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1916
Genres
Drama
Settings
Period, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
A cabin of a British steamer, 1916
Cast Size
medium
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
All-Male Cast, College/University, Regional Theatre, Community Theatre, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Yank

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Driscoll

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Cocky

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Davis

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Scotty

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Olsen

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Paul

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Smitty

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Ivan

Featured

Male

Non-singer

The Captain

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Second Mate

Featured

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

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher