THE STORY: The scene is the American Bar in a sleepy Moroccan town, where a varied group of jaded expatriates gathers each evening seeking respite from the emptiness of their existence. This evening the bartender, Frank, offers them a special treat—a variety of mind-enhancing drugs. Accepting eagerly they are soon experiencing the eerie thrill of expanded awareness, until Frank announces that it is all a hoax, and drugs merely harmless powder. Their reactions vary from anger, to disenchantment, to a sudden determination to return to the mainstream of life. But there are also those who defy his allegation and cling desperately to the joyous release the “drugs” have brought them. As the play ends, an uncertain Frank tentatively samples his own wares—and slowly but surely begins to experience the unearthly sensations for which he had scoffed at the others.
A striking and absorbing black comedy by one of our theatre’s most successful and respected playwrights, which probes into the frantic self-delusions through which so many seek to transcend the bitterness and aridity of their lives.
“A provocative evening. The audience gave it a rousing ovation.” —Entertainer.
“An extraordinary theatre experience. A black comedy that moves boldly, searchingly and amusingly.” —Columbus (Ohio) Citizen Journal.
