Old Man

The Old Man, aged ninety-five, serves as a "general factotum" on an unnamed island, performing a wide array of duties. Despite being a character of flesh and blood, he often seems more illusionary than even the invisible guests he invites. He is marked by contradictions: he exhibits both senility and childlike behavior, sitting on his wife's lap and calling for his mother. His speech, a mixture of sense and nonsense, reflects his complex persona. He has waited forty years to share a profound message with the world, inviting eminent guests and hiring a professional Orator for this purpose. However, he feels inadequate to deliver the message himself, which culminates in an absurd twist when the Orator turns out to be a deaf-mute, incapable of communicating it to the crowd.

On the night of the supposed unveiling, the Old Man appears bewildered and contradicts his wife at times. He reminisces about past times with her and plays games of make-believe, despite claiming boredom with these routines. He insists on the importance of his message, but after giving a lengthy, ineffective introduction of the Orator, he declares his life fulfilled. In a tragic yet absurd finale, he jumps to his death from a tower window, confident that his message will be heard, while irony remains in the Orator's inability to convey it.

Old Woman

The Old Woman, ninety-four years old, is the Old Man’s wife and "helpmeet," embodying contrasts similar to her husband. She is both a nurturing mother and devoted spouse, yet sometimes becomes merely an echo of her husband, repeating his words. Despite hearing the same bedtime story for seventy-five years, she asks for it anew each evening, purposefully keeping her mind "a clean slate" for him. While she reveres her husband as brilliant and capable of greatness, she also recognizes his limitations.

Her role during the event is multifaceted: she ushers in invisible guests, brings chairs, and sells Eskimo pies and programs. Her hidden personality is revealed when she makes inappropriate advances towards an attractive guest. Despite her occasional undermining of the Old Man, she remains loyal, committing suicide with him to be united in time and eternity. Echoing his sentiments, she likewise jumps from a window, noting, at least in jest, that a street might be named in their honor.

The Orator

The Orator, a man between the ages of forty-five and fifty, stands as the third visible character, though his presence is strangely insubstantial. Dressed in the apparel of a nineteenth-century bohemian artist, he is heralded by the Old Man as the most exceptional orator ever, yet his silence renders him almost invisible. The Orator remains passive and unresponsive to the hosts, merely signing autographs automatically for the unseen guests.

After the Old Man and Old Woman’s tragic leap, he attempts to communicate with the invisible audience but fails. Although he makes grand gestures, his muteness is undeniable, and his effort to write on a chalkboard results only in the words "Angelfood" and "Adieu." His inability to convey the Old Man's message leads to his departure, leaving the audience with a sense of unfulfilled promise.

Guests

The Guests are a representation of humanity, a diverse mix that includes even the emperor. They have gathered to hear the Old Man's significant message and are made known to the audience through the empty chairs set on stage and the interactions the Old Man and the Old Woman have with them. Although invisible, their presence is a crucial backdrop to the unfolding of the play’s events, symbolizing both the anticipated and unachieved communication the Old Man desires.