Claire Zachanassian, a famously wealthy woman, decides to return to her hometown of Brachen, Switzerland, for the first time since she left it, at 18 years old. The inhabitants of the town, now utterly impoverished after “The War”, are hopeful that Claire might offer financial support to revive their community. In fact, Claire has returned to Brachen for one reason, and it’s not philanthropy: she wants revenge. Meeting her former lover, Anton Schell, for the first time since her departure, Claire finds familiar emotions bursting to life; the pair are haunted by their former selves. In this remarkable allegory about aging, greed, and the violent power of love, a town is forced to face its demons while a woman makes her final, powerful step towards absolution. The Visit, the historic final collaboration by John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret, The Scottsboro Boys), is a dark, enthralling musical masterpiece.
The Visit guide sections
