Characters

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Myra Arundel
Myra Arundel, impeccably attired and exuding an aura of self-assured sophistication, finds herself at the Bliss household, drawn by the allure of Simon's admiration. Yet, she deftly sidesteps his romantic pursuits, revealing her true intention—an encounter with his father, the acclaimed novelist David. Before Myra graces the stage, Simon’s mother, Judith, paints a vivid picture of her as a "self-conscious vampire" who wields "Sex as a shrimping net." The audience, thus primed, watches as Myra engages in a playful, flirtatious tête-à-tête with David. However, her composure is completely shattered when David cuts through the charade with a bold, "Would you like me to make love to you?" and dismisses her feigned indignation with an astute, "You’ve been trying to make me—all the evening."

David is uninterested in playing the conventional seduction game that Myra anticipates. Instead, he eagerly partakes in his wife’s ruse, feigning the dissolution of their marriage for Myra's sake. Accustomed to controlling such situations, Myra finds herself utterly vexed by the family’s bizarre antics, which wrest control from her grasp. As the play draws to a close, she delivers a scathing critique of the Blisses, capturing their essence with, "You haven’t got one sincere or genuine feeling among the lot of you—you’re artificial to the point of lunacy."

David Bliss

David Bliss, the absent-minded patriarch ensconced in his literary world, crafts stories like The Sinful Woman and Broken Reeds—popular yet, by his own admission, "very bad novels." Less flamboyant than his theatrical wife, David is nonetheless equally self-absorbed. His forgetful nature starkly surfaces when he greets Jackie with the brusque, "Who the hell are you?" His interactions with Myra are equally unconventional, as he bluntly labels her seduction attempts and shatters the mood with his candor. Yet, in a twist, he enters the romantic "intrigue" with relish, stating his love for "seeing things as they are first, and then pretending they’re what they’re not." This tendency is further illustrated when he initially dismisses Judith’s wronged wife act as "nonsense," only to join the charade, pretending affection for Myra.

In the play's final moments, David's narcissism is spotlighted as he engrosses himself in reading the concluding passage of his new novel, oblivious to the guests' quiet departure, while embroiling the family in a debate over trivial details in the text.

Judith Bliss

Judith Bliss, David's wife and mother to Simon and Sorel, is a retired stage starlet known for her roles in dramatic productions like Love’s Whirlwind and The Bold Deceiver. Despite their acclaim, she concedes these plays were mediocre. Bored by mundane life, she immerses herself in exaggerated characters, dramatizing ordinary events. Throughout the play, she embodies roles ranging from a rustic lady of the manor to a glamorous star and a jilted lover. Judith's vibrancy and eccentricity lead her to constantly don new personas, a tendency her family has adapted to and indulges. She frequently invites young male admirers to the house, defending her actions to her daughter by asserting that she doesn’t have "the complete monopoly of any amorous adventure there may be about."

Judith's whims dictate much of the play's action, her dominant presence overshadowing the more reserved and conventional. Her every move underscores her declaration, "I won’t stagnate as long as there’s breath left in my body." Early on, she confesses to her children, "I long for excitement and glamour," and the entirety of the play showcases her knack for conjuring excitement from the mundane.

Simon Bliss

Simon Bliss, the adult son of Judith and David, makes his entrance in a state of charming disarray, a testament to the...

(This entire section contains 1433 words.)

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family’s disregard for societal norms. Unlike his sister, Simon has no yearning to reform the Bliss family’s unconventional behavior, declaring, "we see things differently, I suppose, and if people don’t like it they must lump it." In true Bliss fashion, Simon vacillates between extremes—one moment passionately fawning over worldly Myra, the next, captivating the innocent Jackie. He startles Jackie with an impromptu kiss in the garden, and, in a reckless flourish, announces their engagement, oblivious to her lack of consent. Like his father and sister, Simon revels in participating in his mother’s melodramatic exploits, whether scripted or improvisational. His artistic inclinations lean towards sketching, and in the play's final act, he proudly unveils a new drawing to the family.

Sorel Bliss

Sorel Bliss, the daughter of Judith and David, stands as the solitary member of the Bliss family troubled by their peculiar conduct. At the play's onset, she confides in her brother about their "awfully bad-mannered" and "abnormal" tendencies, sentiments that are unerringly verified as the play unfolds. Striving for improvement, Sorel invites a guest whose impeccably proper demeanor starkly contrasts with the Blisses' wildly inappropriate actions.

Sorel's Struggles

In a world where change is elusive, Sorel's efforts to reform herself only partially succeed. Her attempts to break free from her family's theatrics are evident, yet she finds herself ensnared in her mother's spontaneous dramatic escapades. Though her feelings for Sandy aren't genuine, she feigns affection to allow her mother the role of the self-sacrificing lover, gracefully relinquishing her beloved. Swept up in the moment, Sandy confesses his affection for Sorel, only for her to clarify, "I was only playing up—one always plays up to mother in this house; it’s sort of an unwritten law." This honest admission showcases a shift in Sorel's behavior; she confides further to Sandy, "A month ago, I should have let you go on believing that, but now I can’t—I’m bent on improving myself." Despite her intentions to better herself, Sorel remains truly a Bliss: delightfully eccentric and refreshingly unconventional. As the play concludes, she and her family become engrossed in a frivolous debate over the minutiae of David's novel, blind to the exodus of their anguished weekend guests.

Meet Clara

Clara
In the stage directions, Clara emerges as "a hot, round, untidy little woman," embodying the weary endurance of the Bliss family’s housekeeper. Once Judith’s dresser at the theater, Clara is now the overburdened soul managing the household chaos single-handedly, grappling with the arrival of four unexpected weekend guests while the maid nurses a toothache at home.

Jackie Coryton's Awkward Adventure

Jackie Coryton
Jackie, described as the "perfectly sweet flapper," is an intriguing specimen David has summoned for the weekend to "study her a little in domestic surroundings." Small and shingled, with a naïve demeanor, she is ill at ease from the outset. The awkwardness amplifies when she fumbles through conversation with Richard, and later, flounders through a word game, yet her winsome embarrassment leads Sorel to correctly guess the adverb. The situation becomes more baffling when Simon abruptly announces their engagement, leaving Jackie distraught. By the next morning, overwhelmed and tearful at the breakfast table, she concludes that the Blisses are "all mad," eagerly joining the exodus of keen escapees.

Richard Greatham: Diplomat in Disarray

Richard Greatham
Richard, the "frightfully well-known diplomatist," is Sorel's choice for a weekend guest. With "iron-gray and tall" stature, his courteous nature surfaces as he maintains conversation with the bashful Jackie while they linger in the hallway. Although Sorel is drawn to his conventional manners, Richard is captivated by the vivacious Bliss family, a refreshing contrast to his usual encounters. He admires Judith's exuberance, feeling "dead" by comparison, yet finds himself stunned when, after a brief kiss, she jubilantly discusses leaving her husband. Later, as he enters from the garden into a whirl of chaos, his unwitting question, "Is this a game?" cues Judith and the children to dive into a scene from Love’s Whirlwind.

Sandy Tyrell's Tumultuous Weekend

Sandy Tyrell
Sandy, an amateur boxer invited by Judith, is described as "a perfect darling, and madly in love with me," in Judith's words. Yet, according to Sorel, he is just one of many "silly, callow young men who are infatuated by your name." Fresh-looking and youthful, with large hands shaped by his "misplaced enthusiasm for boxing," Sandy's athletic build starkly contrasts Simon's slender form. Enamored with Judith from her stage presence, Sandy initially revels in the honor of being her guest, only to face disillusionment upon learning of her husband's existence. Later, caught in a moment with Sorel in the library and discovered by Judith, he is ensnared in her theatrical explanation—until Sorel reveals it all as a performance. These bizarre encounters unravel Sandy's composure, leading him to seek refuge in the library, wary of another Bliss encounter.

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