Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Samuel French, Inc. (2010), Paperback, 110 pages
Description
A landmark play about sexual politics in colonial Africa and modern-day Britain, in which all our assumptions about sex and gender are stunningly exploded. First staged by Joint Stock and premiered in London at the Royal Court Theatre in 1979, it has since been staged all over the world. Set in both colonial Africa and modern-day Britain, Cloud Nine is about relationships - between women and men, men and men, women and women. It is about sex, work, mothers, Africa, power, children, grandmothers, politics, and money. 'Sharp comedy and a serious purpose are splendidly combined... It unlocks
User reviews
LibraryThing member atreic
Another Ardgour readthrough. I want to say 'I liked this a lot', but I'm not sure 'like' is a word I can associate with this weird ikky tale of colonialism, incest, adultery, paedophilia and orgies. It ought to be trying too hard - everything is shock factor turned up to 11. But the language is so
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slick, and makes you flinch and laugh and cry all at the same time, with wry dark humour and deep insight. It's a play of two halves, which while they have parallels and echos are mostly disjoint. The first half is colonial Africa, a man trying to keep the white beacon of God, Queen, Family and Respectability burning through a mess of lust, unrequited love, fights with the natives, and Christmas. The second half is the 1970s, and a sprawling mess of people bringing up children, having sex, and trying to work out who they are and what they like in the world. Show Less
LibraryThing member deckla
Poignant play, both comedy and tragedy, through the British Music Hall tradition, examining gender and roles (and stereotypes of all sorts).
Subjects
Awards
Obie Award (1981-1982)
Language
Physical description
110 p.; 5 inches
ISBN
0573618747 / 9780573618741
Local notes
theater