Loss
Bill Snell
Genre: Drama
Cast size: 6
Duration: 40 mins approx
Bill Snell | Drama | One Act | 3m, 3f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
A poignant and realistic war time drama. Simple to set in World War 1 but transferable to any war time situation.
To lose any child is an immense challenge for any parent but the potential to lose your other remaining child creates pressures that any married couple may find insurmountable.
Billy married Mary and took on the responsibility of her son Arthur from a previous relationship, they later have a son of their own Jim. Their happy marriage experiences huge strains after Arthur dies from his wounds at the front. Their grief is exacerbated by fears for Jim who is now also serving his country.
Mary is finding her grief almost too much to bear, can't accept that Billy can be feeling the same level of pain for the loss of his adopted son and her constant fear for Jim is now having a disastrous effect on their relationship. Billy lives in daily fear for Jim, has doubts about his support for the war, and now is desperately trying to keep his marriage together.
Mary receives support from her friends Gwladys and Edith who fear for her well-being but not all of their advice is welcome. Billy also shares his feelings with friends George and Tom but this leads to violent political differences with Tom and the sharing of his intimate fears and revelations with George.
The play explores their relationship, their grief, fears and anxieties. Will Jim survive or will yet another dreaded ‘telegram’ arrive? Is there a way to find each other again or will their Loss be too much for them both? A dramatic piece offering each actor a challenging and rewarding role.
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