Idiot's Delight Book

War was in the Air

Emphasis on delight! On the cusp of WW II a diverse group of characters are thrown together in an Italian resort overlooking the border of 3 other countries, only in this case the war begins some time in 1936 with Italy bombing Paris from the air, which occurs in the middle of the play.

The two leads are Harry Van, a slighted jaded American impresario, and Irene, a fiery and mysterious former Russian aristocrat who changes her story as frequently as she changes her hats. The rest of characters consist of the hotel staff in particular Dumptsy, a dour gentle and wonderfully comic servant who plays the wise fool, the Cherrys, a pair of young and somewhat out of touch British newlyweds, Quillery a working class revolutionary from France who claims no nationality but humanity, a German scientist, Dr. Waldersee, on the precipice of finding a cure for cancer and French arms merchant Achille Weber, who may in fact be the individual who precipitates the war. Accompanying Van are a small bevy of 6 chorus girls with small speaking parts who should be able to sing and dance, an equal number of Italian soldiers and their Commander, Captain Locicero who controls the border and a small band, perhaps 3-5 persons.

The set itself is simple and straightforward - the cafe and lobby of the hotel, and though it does call for a staircase leading to a 2nd floor, one can easily work around it. The music for a number of period pieces is also required and Van should be able to play the piano.

The plot is straightforward but the crispness of the dialog and the commentary on war makes it interesting. Everyone is stuck at the hotel waiting for permission from the Italians to continue. Van's troop is on their way to Geneva hoping to make their reputation as performers at the peace conference and offers some entertainment in return for a reduced price for their lodging. Irene is Weber's mistress, but there are signs that the two are just about done and Harry Van is sure he's met Irene before when she was on the stage.

Absolutely suitable for schools or community theatre groups. Including the band there are a 27 roles but there is some flexibility for a few more or a few less. I saw a live performance a couple of years ago at Niagara-on-the-Lake and would not mind to see it revived again!