THE BALD SOPRANO
By: Eugene Ionesco
Original Title/ Language/Translator: La Cantatrice Chauve/ French/ Donald Allen
Year of Original Publication: 1965
Genre/ Length/ Structure: Theatre of the Absurd / Comedy/ One Act
Agency Controlling license: Samuel French
Agency Controlling license: Samuel French
Royalty Fee: $35
Cast Breakdown: 3 Males 3 Females
Time and Setting: Time in non-specific but Ionesco is very adamant about setting, London England!
Author Bio: Eugène Ionesco, born Eugen Ionescu (November 26, 1909 – March 28, 1994), was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. Beyond ridiculing the most banal situations, Ionesco's plays depict in a tangible way the solitude and insignificance of human existence.The idea of the play came to Ionesco while he was trying to learn English with the Assimil method. He was impressed by the contents of the dialogues, often very sober and strange, so he decided to write an absurd play named L'anglais sans peine ("English without effort"). The current title was set only after a verbal slip-up made by one of the actors during the rehearsals. (citations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Ionesco, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bald_Soprano)
Plot Summary:The Smiths are a traditional couple from London, who have invited another couple, the Martins, over for a visit. They are joined later by the Smiths' maid, Mary, and the local fire chief, who is also a friend and possibly former lover of Mary's. The two families engage in meaningless banter, telling stories and relating nonsensical poems. Mrs. Martin at one point converses with her husband as if he were a stranger she just met. As the fire chief turns to leave, he mentions "the bald soprano" in passing, which has a very unsettling effect on the others. Mrs Smith replies that "she always wears her hair in the same style."
Like many plays in the theatre of the absurd genre, the underlying theme of The Bald Soprano is not immediately apparent. Many suggest that it expresses the futility of meaningful communication in modern society. The script is charged with non sequiturs that give the impression that the characters are not even listening to each other in their frantic efforts to make their own voices heard. There was speculation around the time of its first performance, categorising it as a parody. Ionesco states in an essay written to his critics, that he had no intention of parody, but if he were parodying anything, it would be everything.
The Bald Soprano appears to have been written as a continuous loop. The final scene contains stage instructions to start the performance over from the very beginning, with the Martin couple substituted for the Smith couple and vice versa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bald_Soprano
Exegesis:
Characters and Casting:
Mrs. Smith- Female, Middle aged, race not specified, wife to Mr. Smith and friend to the Martins. Has 2 children.
Mr. Smith - Male, Middle aged, race not specified, husband to Mrs. Smith, friend to the Martins, has 2 children.
Mrs. Martin - Female, Middle aged, race not specified, wife to Mr. Martin, friend to the Smiths, has a daughter
Mr. Martin - Male, Middle aged, race not specified, husband to Mrs. Martin, friend to the Smiths, had a daughter
Mary (the maid) - Female, age not specified, race not specified, Maid to the Smiths, has a relationship with the Fire Chief
The Fire Chief- Male- age not specified, race not specified, has a romance with the maid, Mary.
Time and Setting: Time in non-specific but Ionesco is very adamant about setting, London England!
Author Bio: Eugène Ionesco, born Eugen Ionescu (November 26, 1909 – March 28, 1994), was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. Beyond ridiculing the most banal situations, Ionesco's plays depict in a tangible way the solitude and insignificance of human existence.The idea of the play came to Ionesco while he was trying to learn English with the Assimil method. He was impressed by the contents of the dialogues, often very sober and strange, so he decided to write an absurd play named L'anglais sans peine ("English without effort"). The current title was set only after a verbal slip-up made by one of the actors during the rehearsals. (citations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A8ne_Ionesco, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bald_Soprano)
Plot Summary:The Smiths are a traditional couple from London, who have invited another couple, the Martins, over for a visit. They are joined later by the Smiths' maid, Mary, and the local fire chief, who is also a friend and possibly former lover of Mary's. The two families engage in meaningless banter, telling stories and relating nonsensical poems. Mrs. Martin at one point converses with her husband as if he were a stranger she just met. As the fire chief turns to leave, he mentions "the bald soprano" in passing, which has a very unsettling effect on the others. Mrs Smith replies that "she always wears her hair in the same style."
Like many plays in the theatre of the absurd genre, the underlying theme of The Bald Soprano is not immediately apparent. Many suggest that it expresses the futility of meaningful communication in modern society. The script is charged with non sequiturs that give the impression that the characters are not even listening to each other in their frantic efforts to make their own voices heard. There was speculation around the time of its first performance, categorising it as a parody. Ionesco states in an essay written to his critics, that he had no intention of parody, but if he were parodying anything, it would be everything.
The Bald Soprano appears to have been written as a continuous loop. The final scene contains stage instructions to start the performance over from the very beginning, with the Martin couple substituted for the Smith couple and vice versa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bald_Soprano
Exegesis:
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- W.C.: meaning water closet or bathroom
- Constantinople: Constantinople (Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολις, Konstantinoúpolis, or ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, in formal Ottoman Turkish: Konstantiniyye) was the capital of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Byzantine/East Roman Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christian empire, see Christendom, successor to ancient Greece and Rome. Throughout the Middle Ages Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city, known as the Queen of Cities (Vasileuousa Polis). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople
- Leeks: The leek , Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum (L.), also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to the Alliaceae family. Two related vegetables, the elephant garlic and kurrat, are also variant subspecies of Allium ampeloprasum, although different in their uses as food.
The edible part of the leek plant is sometimes called a stem, though technically it is a bundle of leaf sheaths. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeks - Great Britain:Great Britain (Scottish Gaelic: Breatainn Mhòr, Welsh: Prydain Fawr, Cornish: Breten Veur, Scots: Graet Breetain) is the larger of the two main islands of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe and the eighth-largest island in the world (Great Britain is also the third most populated island on earth). It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe, with Ireland to the west, and makes up the largest part of the territory of the state known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is surrounded by over 1,000[2] smaller islands and islets.
England, Scotland and Wales are mostly situated on the island, along with their capital cities, London, Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain - Salvers: A salver is a flat tray of silver or other metal used for carrying or serving glasses, cups and dishes at table or for the presenting of a letter or card by a servant. In a royal or noble household the fear of poisoning led to the custom of tasting the food or drink before it was served to the master and his guests; this was known as the assay of meat and drink, and in Spanish was called salva. Salvar is to preserve from risk, from the Latin salvare, to save. The term salva was also applied to the dish or tray on which the food or drink was presented after the tasting process. There seems no doubt that this Spanish word is the source of the English salver; a parallel is found in the origin of the term credenza. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salver
- Manchester:Manchester ( pronounced /ˈmæntʃɛstə/) is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted city status in 1853. It has a population of 452,000,[2] and lies at the centre of the wider Greater Manchester Urban Area, which has a population of 2,240,230,[3] the United Kingdom's third largest conurbation. Manchester has the second largest urban zone in the UK and the fourteenth most populated in Europe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester
- Bromfield Street: Bromfield St Islington, London N1UK,The nearest underground station to Bromfield Street is 'Angel Tube' which is about 5 minutes to the South . http://www.londontown.com/LondonStreets/bromfield_street_97d.html
- Flat: English word for Apartment or living situation.
- Eiderdown: The down of the eider duck, used as stuffing for quilts and pillows.
A quilt stuffed with the down of the eider duck.
A warm napped fabric. http://www.answers.com/topic/eiderdown - Boor: 1. A person with rude, clumsy manners and little refinement.
2. A peasant. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/boor - Underground: English word for subway system; Mind the Gap
- Vicar of Wakefield: The Vicar of Wakefield is a novel by the Irish author Oliver Goldsmith. It was written in 1761 and 1762, and published in 1766. Dr. Primrose, his wife Deborah and their six children live an idyllic life in a country parish. The vicar is well-off due to investing an inheritance he received from a deceased relative, and the vicar donates the 34 pounds that his job pays annually to local orphans and war veterans. On the evening of his son George's wedding to wealthy Arabella Wilmot, the vicar loses all his money through the bankruptcy of his merchant investor who left town with his money.
The wedding is called off by Arabella's father, who is known for his prudence with money. George, who was educated at Oxford and is old enough to be considered an adult, is sent away to town. The rest of the family move to a new and more humble parish on the land of Squire Thornhill, who is known to be a womanizer. On the way, they hear about the dubious reputation of their new landlord. Also, references are made to the squire's uncle Sir William Thornhill, who is known throughout the country for his worthiness and generosity.
A poor and eccentric friend, Mr. Burchell, whom they meet at an inn, rescues Sophia from drowning. She is instantly attracted to him, but her ambitious mother does not encourage her feelings.
Then follows a period of happy family life, only interrupted by regular visits of the dashing Squire Thornhill and Mr. Burchell. Olivia is captivated by Thornhill's hollow charm, but he also encourages the social ambitions of Mrs Primrose and her daughters to a ludicrous degree.
Finally, Olivia is reported to have fled. First Burchell is suspected, but after a long pursuit Dr. Primrose finds his daughter, who was in reality deceived by Squire Thornhill. He planned to marry her in a mock ceremony and leave her then shortly after, as he had done with several women before.
When Olivia and her father return home, they find their house in flames. Although the family has lost almost all their belongings, the evil Squire Thornhill insists on the payment of the rent. As the vicar cannot pay, he is brought to gaol.
What follows now is a chain of dreadful occurrences. The vicar's daughter Olivia is reported dead, Sophia abducted and George is also brought to gaol in chains and covered with blood, as he had challenged Thornhill to a duel, when he had heard about his wickedness.
But then Mr. Burchell arrives and solves all problems. He rescues Sophia, Olivia is not dead and it emerges that Burchell is in reality the worthy Sir William Thornhill, who travels through the country in disguise. In the end there is a double wedding: George marries Arabella, as he originally intended, and Sir William Thornhill marries Sophia. Squire Thornhill's servant turns out to have tricked him, and thus the sham marriage of the Squire and Olivia is real. Finally even the wealth of the vicar is restored, as the bankrupt merchant is reported to be found. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vicar_of_Wakefield - Vestal Virgins: One of the priestesses who tended the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta in ancient Rome and remained celibate during their servitude. http://www.answers.com/topic/vestal-virgin
- Clandestinely: Kept or done in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/clandestinely
- A La Mode De Caen: The tripe a la mode de Caen are a culinary preparation Norman achieved with the four stomachs (rumen, sheet, hat and abomasum) of beef. L’origine des tripes remonte au Moyen Âge où elles comblaient déjà Guillaume le Conquérant qui s’en délectait en les accompagnant d’un jus de pommes de Neustrie . The origin of tripe since the Middle Ages where they already filled William the Conqueror who délectait accompanying them an apple juice of Neustria.
On attribue la paternité des « tripes à la mode de Caen » à un moine cuisinier de l’ Abbaye aux Hommes de Caen , du nom de Sidoine Benoît . It attributes the authorship of "tripes a la mode de Caen" to a monk's cook the Abbaye aux Hommes de Caen, named Sidoine Benedict. Les tripes se préparent dans un récipient en terre conçu à cet usage, la « tripière » dont le couvercle est luté durant la très longue cuisson. The tripe is prepared in an earthen container designed for that purpose, "tripière" with its cover luté during the long cooking. Il existe une confrérie consacrée à la dégustation et à la promotion des tripes à la mode de Caen : « le Grand Ordre de la Tripière d’Or » . There is a brotherhood devoted to tasting and promotion of tripe a la mode de Caen: "Grand Order of the Golden Tripière." http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripes_%25C3%25A0_la_mode_de_Caen&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Da%2Bla%2Bmode%2Bde%2Bcaen%252Bdefinition%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLD - Tripes: The rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants, used as food. http://www.answers.com/topic/tripe
- Cartesian quarter of an hour: adj : of or relating to Rene Descartes or his works; "Cartesian linguistics" [syn: Cartesian]. Describing the kind of time that they are in. http://dictionary.die.net/cartesian
- Polypoids: 1 : resembling a polyp 2 : marked by the formation of lesions suggesting polyps
http://medical.merriam-webster.com/medical/polypoid - Footman: A man employed as a servant to wait at table, attend the door, and run various errands, as in a palace.
2. Archaic
a. A foot soldier; an infantryman.
b. One who travels on foot; a pedestrian. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/footman
Characters and Casting:
Mrs. Smith- Female, Middle aged, race not specified, wife to Mr. Smith and friend to the Martins. Has 2 children.
Mr. Smith - Male, Middle aged, race not specified, husband to Mrs. Smith, friend to the Martins, has 2 children.
Mrs. Martin - Female, Middle aged, race not specified, wife to Mr. Martin, friend to the Smiths, has a daughter
Mr. Martin - Male, Middle aged, race not specified, husband to Mrs. Martin, friend to the Smiths, had a daughter
Mary (the maid) - Female, age not specified, race not specified, Maid to the Smiths, has a relationship with the Fire Chief
The Fire Chief- Male- age not specified, race not specified, has a romance with the maid, Mary.
This play being theatre of the absurd I think that there are so many options available for non-traditional casting. I think that any of these characters can be played by any ethnicity or race. I think that it would be interesting to move the sex of certain characters around. Perhaps the Fire Chief could be played by a woman.
In terms of the intent of the author and perhaps even copyright rules it may not be possible to change the sex of these characters. Now the real intent of the author is to make fun of the english language. He wrote this at the time he was learning English. So by changing the race I think it wouldn't matter but when it comes to the changing the sex of the characters I think that Ionesco would feel that it would perhaps distract from the language.
