The Reporter

Nicholas Wright’s The Reporter begins with a suicide note: “I can’t bear it anymore, though I don’t know what it is.” Protagonist Jim Mossman is a successful reporter with the BBC in the prime of his career. He is well-liked, good at what he does, but struggles with his success being somewhat contingent on his remaining closeted about his homosexuality. The play details the events leading up to Jim’s suicide: the coverage of Vietnam; seven unrelated deaths; a relationship with Louis - an erratic and mentally unstable potter who eventually overdoses; and many friendships that are gained and deepened over time. In the end, Jim’s choice to kill himself leaves more questions than answers, but perhaps... that is the point.