The Zero Hour
by Madeleine George

Name: The Zero Hour
Brand: Madeleine George
SKU: 9780573699207
Rating: 3.87 (25 reviews)

The Zero Hour Book Cover — The Zero Hour Cover

Highlights

Small Cast

Female

Male

105 minsPresent DayUnit Set/Multiple SettingsContemporary Costumes/Street ClothesAmerican Comedy

Awards & Recognition

Princess Grace

What readers are saying

Readers have mixed feelings about the play. Many appreciate its unique exploration of complex themes, while some find the lack of a strong plot and clear focus on the characters to be a drawback.

Quirky and interesting premiseThoughtful and impactful writingLacks a strong plotCharacters are profoundly flawed

Synopsis

Characters: 1 male, 2 femaleUnit SetRebecca and her chronically unemployed butch girlfriend, O, have created a happy nest in their run-down walk-up in Queens, but things are starting to unravel.

The more O pushes Rebecca to stop hiding their relationship, the more Rebecca's work life-writing a textbook for seventh graders about the Holocaust- begins to bleed into her personal life: She starts meeting World War II Nazis on the 7 train, passing as hipster professionals in New York City but hungry to come out about who they really are.

Back home in Queens, O is also sparring with convincingly real visions: her long estranged-and recently dead?-mother keeps showing up to argue with her about her choices.

This almost-love story explores the relationship between honesty and cruelty: How do you tell the truth about yourself when that truth might devastate the people you love?

A tour-de-force for two actors playing eight different roles."A lucid drama.

Appealingly brainy and messy, George's play never settles for an easy metaphor or emotion.

It cross-examines our pat notions of history and love.""- The New Yorker""Grabs our interest from its first provocative line.

The Zero Hour is a work to savor."- "Back Stage""Bold, thoughtful, and incredibly beautiful."

- "CurtainUp""A striking new play.

Refreshingly original."

-"TheatreMania"

ThemesLesbian couples Lesbian couples--New York (State)--New York--Drama PS3557.E4895 Z47 2011

Press Reviews

"A lucid drama. Appealingly brainy and messy, George's play never settles for an easy metaphor or emotion. It cross-examines our pat notions of history and love."
— The New Yorker

"Grabs our interest from its first provocative line. The Zero Hour is a work to savor."
— Back Stage

"Bold, thoughtful, and incredibly beautiful."
— CurtainUp

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
WASP THE THERAPIST 45	—	—	45
REBECCA 29, corporate femme, educated, graceful, Jewish	—	—	29, corporate femme, educated, graceful, Jewish
RAE WILCOX 59, O’s mother	female	—	59, O’s mother
LILY HIRSCHORN 64, REBECCA’s mother	female	—	64, REBECCA’s mother
THE ALL AMERICAN NAZI, a.k.a. “DOUG,” 32	—	—	AMERICAN NAZI, a.k.a. “DOUG,” 32