The Bald Soprano and Other Plays

The chairs: An old married couple are alone waiting for guests to arrive. The Old Man tells a favourite story from their past, and the Old Woman, who seems to be both wife and mother, says he could have been much more in life than a caretaker. He says he has a great message for mankind, and has engaged an orator to deliver it to their guests. When the guests arrive, they are invisible to the audience, yet the couple bring chairs and engage them in conversation. They include the Old Man’s former lover and a photographer with whom the Old Woman flirts. The old couple tell them contradictory stories about their past lives. They frantically arrange chairs for more and more invisible guests. The room appears to be packed and the couple act as ushers. They are very excited when the Emperor arrives, also invisible. The Old Man talks with increasing grandiosity about his life and the message that he hopes will save mankind. When the Orator arrives (a real person), the old couple leap from separate windows to their deaths. The Orator tries to speak but only makes the guttural sound of a deaf-mute. He writes a few jumbled words on a blackboard, and then exits leaving only the chairs and sounds of an invisible audience.