Him
By: by E.E. Cummings.
Publisher: Boni & Liveright
Published: 1970
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 139
Description: Him can be called one of the first successful attempts of Theatre of the Absurd, and thus lacks plot in the traditional sense. The first scene depicts a painted backdrop of a doctor anaesthetizing a woman with two face holes, in which are Me and The Doctor; facing this are three figures knitting in rocking chairs and having absurd conversations. This type of scene happens six times during the play, always following or preceded by scenes in the "room". The room scenes feature Me and Him conversing. The second act of Him features nine scenes from the play Him is writing. The final act returns to scenes in the "room" and the Weirds scenes but also adds in a scene in a Parisian restaurant and a scene at a freak show, the latter of which ends by revealing the ninth freak to be Me holding a baby. The play ends with Me breaking the fourth wall quite literally by revealing that the fourth wall of Me and Him's living room is not real. Me says that she can see people "pretending that this room and [Him and Me] are real". Him cannot believe what she is saying, although he wishes he could.
Notes: "Liveright paperbound edition"