Synopsis

The Absence of a Cello

$13

Ira Wallach

Published by Dramatists Play Service

3 Male 4 Female

A Broadway hit, this refreshingly literate comedy is concerned with the hilarious lengths gone to by a brilliant (but broke) scientist to land a much-needed job with a large corporation

As Martin Gottfried describes: "It is about a physicist who needs money so badly he turns to the $60,000-a-year job offered by a big corporation. He wants the job, but does the company want him? Mr. Personnel is sent to find out. What seems to be starting out as a shopworn target-individuality versus conformity-turns out to be an ingeniously conceived comical discussion of honesty and truth. After being coached by a gray-flanneled collegiate on how to be what every company wants, the scientist is prepared to confront the enemy (after quickly trading in his rolled-up trousers and flapping shirt for a neat brown suit)He hides the cello he plays with pick-up quartets, he hides the medieval history books his wife writes, he hides all but the acceptable three liquor bottles. He hides, in fact, everything that he and his wife are. And hauls out the television setWhat follows is a literately comical playaround with industrial conformity that for sheer humor is, well, wonderfully adult"

"a cheerfully venomous comedy about the mysterious monster called the Corporate Image" ~ NY Daily News

"a comedy that compliments your intelligence" ~ Women's Wear Daily

"right, impertinent comedy" ~ NY Times

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