Closure (Blicq)
by Ronald S. Blicq

Name: Closure (Blicq)
Brand: Ronald S. Blicq
SKU: 9780573664007

Closure (Blicq) Book Cover — Closure (Blicq) Cover

Highlights

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Male

Unit Set/Multiple Settings

Synopsis

Donald Barlow, who lives in Nottingham, England, decides to search for his father who, he has discovered, was a visiting Canadian serviceman during World War II.

Following his mother's death, Donald engages a search agency to find his father (Gordon Devereaux) and establish contact.

But when the agency does find Devereaux, the elderly man vehemently denies his involvement with Donald's mother and categorically refuses to meet the man who claims to be his son.

Donald's journalist daughter Claire refuses to give up and, using her married name, flies to Canada to meet and interview Devereaux.

She takes her nine-year-old son with her (who actually is Devereaux's great-grandson) and a unique and unexpected friendship develops between the crusty old man and the boy.

Although Claire had not intended to reveal the connection between them, she now privately telephones her father and suggests he fly to Canada.

Yet her secret plan is shattered when the boy tells Devereaux things about his family, from which the old man deduces the connection and recognizes he has been duped.

This sets in motion a vicious and seemingly irreversible conflict between Claire and Devereaux.

The two men do eventually face each other, but both are angry and unforgiving.

Press Reviews

"How closure is finally achieved makes this a gripping drama of four generations – and how the youngest can bring out the best in the oldest."
— The Visitor, Guernsey, UK

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
In the UK	—	—	—
DONALD BARLOW Donald is 54 and is manager of a major bank in Nottingham, England. He is very competent, very knowledgeable, and very good at his work. He is happily married to Daphne, and they have two children: Claire and Kevin; we meet only Claire. They also have one grandchild: Gordie, who is Claire’s son, and a major character in the play.	male	—	Donald is 54 and is manager of a major bank in Nottingham, England. He is very competent, very knowledgeable, and very good at his work. He is happily married to Daphne, and they have two children: Claire and Kevin; we meet only Claire. They also have one grandchild: Gordie, who is Claire’s son, and a major character in the play.
DAPHNE BARLOW Daphne is 51 and is rather conscious of her and Donald’s social position (he isn’t concerned, but phlegmatically lets her be that way). She loves her husband in a somewhat abstracted but protective way. Her children grew to resent her over-protectiveness, so moved out earlier than they might have done. She trained to be an accountant (she and Donald met at the bank), but on marriage chose to remain at home and bring up her children. Since they left, she has joined a church community group, which she now runs because she is a good organizer and other members let her do it. Her tendency to be outspoken, and to correct speakers if they make a language error, which sometimes disturbs people.	female	—	Daphne is 51 and is rather conscious of her and Donald’s social position (he isn’t concerned, but phlegmatically lets her be that way). She loves her husband in a somewhat abstracted but protective way. Her children grew to resent her over-protectiveness, so moved out earlier than they might have done. She trained to be an accountant (she and Donald met at the bank), but on marriage chose to remain at home and bring up her children. Since they left, she has joined a church community group, which she now runs because she is a good organizer and other members let her do it. Her tendency to be outspoken, and to correct speakers if they make a language error, which sometimes disturbs people.
CLAIRE SUMMERS Claire is 28. She has graduated with a degree in journalism and is now a research writer for The Source, a middle-road magazine that prints high-quality human-interest stories. She is very good at her work and is well respected in the journalism field.	female	—	Claire is 28. She has graduated with a degree in journalism and is now a research writer for The Source, a middle-road magazine that prints high-quality human-interest stories. She is very good at her work and is well respected in the journalism field.
GORDIE SUMMERS Gordie is an active, well-spoken nine-year-old; articulate, very friendly, likeable, and approachable. Some people might think he is precocious, but his forwardness is a natural interest rather than being pushy. He speaks and thinks beyond his years. He knows nothing about his great-grandfather and the connection his grandfather is trying to make.	male	—	Gordie is an active, well-spoken nine-year-old; articulate, very friendly, likeable, and approachable. Some people might think he is precocious, but his forwardness is a natural interest rather than being pushy. He speaks and thinks beyond his years. He knows nothing about his great-grandfather and the connection his grandfather is trying to make.
In Canada	—	—	—
GORDON DEVEREAUX The most complex character in the play, Gordon is now 75, having joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at age 18 (1942). He trained as a pilot and flew deHavilland Mosquito aircraft, first as a low-level intruder and later as a Bomber Command Pathfinder, dropping flares over target areas to guide the bombers flying far above. In late 1944 he led a special raid on a castle near Bruges, to release special prisoners. During the war he saw the devastation, pain and death caused by German bombing in Britain, and then experienced real concern over the damage and death he was causing to the people in German towns. After the war he “closed the book” on his wartime flying and never discussed it with anyone, not even his wife and their two daughters.	female	—	The most complex character in the play, Gordon is now 75, having joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at age 18 (1942). He trained as a pilot and flew deHavilland Mosquito aircraft, first as a low-level intruder and later as a Bomber Command Pathfinder, dropping flares over target areas to guide the bombers flying far above. In late 1944 he led a special raid on a castle near Bruges, to release special prisoners. During the war he saw the devastation, pain and death caused by German bombing in Britain, and then experienced real concern over the damage and death he was causing to the people in German towns. After the war he “closed the book” on his wartime flying and never discussed it with anyone, not even his wife and their two daughters.
HELEN DEVEREAUX Now 71, Helen once was a beautiful woman and still carries her age well. She came from a well-to-do family and was the eldest daughter. She has inherited her family’s feeling for stability and prominence in the community. She and Gordon have had a successful marriage and enjoy a now distant but good relationship with their two daughters.	female	—	Now 71, Helen once was a beautiful woman and still carries her age well. She came from a well-to-do family and was the eldest daughter. She has inherited her family’s feeling for stability and prominence in the community. She and Gordon have had a successful marriage and enjoy a now distant but good relationship with their two daughters.
The Agency Investigator	—	—	—
PAUL HOOGSTRA Although 47-year-old Paul Hoogstra is essentially a businessperson, he does not have the strong, objective drive of the true entrepreneur. He likes people, likes helping them, and likes what he has to do. He does not, however, enjoy making the contacts with the fathers in Canada, whom he finds to be brutally opposed to what he is trying to achieve.	male	—	Although 47-year-old Paul Hoogstra is essentially a businessperson, he does not have the strong, objective drive of the true entrepreneur. He likes people, likes helping them, and likes what he has to do. He does not, however, enjoy making the contacts with the fathers in Canada, whom he finds to be brutally opposed to what he is trying to achieve.
RECORDED VOICE OVER Radio announcer, one male interviewee and one female interviewee.	female	—	Radio announcer, one male interviewee and one female interviewee.