The Secret Rapture (play)
Encyclopedia
The Secret Rapture is a 1988 British play by David Hare
. Its premiere in the Lyttelton auditorium of the Royal National Theatre
was directed by Howard Davies. British revivals of the play have included one at the Salisbury Playhouse
in 2001 and at the Lyric Theatre, London in 2003. Hare later adapted it as 1993 film of the same title, also directed by Davies.
It is set in 1980s Britain and examines the impact of Thatcherism
on personal relationships within the family of a junior government minister after her father's death. Hare states that its title refers to a nun's feeling of ecstasy
on being received by God at the moment of her death, rather than the Protestant concept of the Rapture
.
David Hare (playwright)
Sir David Hare is an English playwright and theatre and film director.-Early life:Hare was born in St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex, the son of Agnes and Clifford Hare, a sailor. He was educated at Lancing, an independent school in West Sussex, and at Jesus College, Cambridge...
. Its premiere in the Lyttelton auditorium of the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
was directed by Howard Davies. British revivals of the play have included one at the Salisbury Playhouse
Salisbury Playhouse
Salisbury Playhouse is a theatre in the county of Wiltshire, it was built in 1976 and has two theatre spaces – the Main House and Salberg Studio ....
in 2001 and at the Lyric Theatre, London in 2003. Hare later adapted it as 1993 film of the same title, also directed by Davies.
It is set in 1980s Britain and examines the impact of Thatcherism
Thatcherism
Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, economic and social policy, and political style of the British Conservative politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990...
on personal relationships within the family of a junior government minister after her father's death. Hare states that its title refers to a nun's feeling of ecstasy
Ecstasy (emotion)
Ecstasy is a subjective experience of total involvement of the subject, with an object of his or her awareness. Because total involvement with an object of our interest is not our ordinary experience since we are ordinarily aware also of other objects, the ecstasy is an example of altered state of...
on being received by God at the moment of her death, rather than the Protestant concept of the Rapture
Rapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
.
Synopsis
Estranged sisters Isobel and Marion are forced to reunite when their father dies and they must decide how to handle Katherine, their young, alcoholic, mentally unstable stepmother who has been left nothing but the rural home in which they were raised. Isobel and her lover Irwin own a small graphic design company that is struggling to stay afloat. Her sister suggests she and her born-again Christian husband Tom help them expand the business by finding investors and making Katherine a partner responsible for finding new business. Isobel has grave misgivings about the plan, but finally agrees to it when Marion convinces Irwin of its potential success. Before long, the strain of running the expanded business causes a deterioration in Isobel's relationship with Irwin, who is becoming increasingly dependent upon her, while at the same time Katherine's tenuous hold on sanity begins to unravel.Scene 1
Isobel is sitting with the body of her father Robert, who has just died. Her elder sister Marion arrives to claim a ring she had given him and the two sisters begin to argue. Marion's husband Tom arrives and Marion leaves, angry with Isobel, then Tom and Isobel talk before leaving.Scene 2
Isobel and her father's second wife, the alcoholic Katherine, sit in the garden of Robert's house just after his funeral. Marion and Tom arrive and an argument begins when Katherine suddenly introduces her idea that she would like to join Isobel's small design firm. Katherine storms out and finds a hidden bottle of drink before returning, whereupon the previously doubtful Isobel agrees that Katherine can join the firm.Scene 3
In the office of Isobel's firm she and her lover Irwin attempt to enjoy a rare evening without Katherine, until Katherine arrives to tell them how she has taken Isobel's friend Max out to dinner. Katherine criticises Irwin's design work before leaving and Irwin tries to convince Isobel to get rid of her. Katherine returns and, when Isobel proves unable or unwilling to eject Katherine, Irwin intervenes and asks Katherine to leave in the morning. Katherine leaves temporarily and Isobel refuses to agree to her ejection from the firm.Scene 4
Back at Robert's house, Marion and Tom try to convince Isobel to let them invest in her firm to help it expand, with Irwin betraying Isobel by supporting them rather than her.Scene 1
Marion's secretary Rhonda comes round to Isobel's firm's new offices for a shower, and she and Irwin flirt over a bottle of champagne until Isobel arrives back unexpectedly. Rhonda leaves for the shower and Isobel reveals that Katherine has stabbed one of the firm's clients and so has had to be put into a rehab clinic. Isobel and Irwin argue and Rhonda returns to the office before leaving to go to the cinema. Isobel surprises her and Irwin by suggesting that they come too and the three leave together.Scene 2
The expansion of Isobel's firm having failed, Marion and Tom wait in Tom's office, to which Irwin comes for a business meeting. He tells them how Isobel left the cinema halfway through the film and took a spur-of-the-moment holiday to Lanzarote, before returning to care for Katherine. He also admits how he is still in love with Isobel despite the friction that now exists between them and Marion criticises her sister's handling of the situation. Isobel arrives and refuses to come into the office until Irwin leaves. Irwin leaves, Isobel enters and she and Marion argue until Isobel finally leaves. A born-again evangelical Christian, Tom then criticises Marion and leaves to pray for Isobel and Irwin.Scene 3
In the lounge of Katherine's flat, Isobel attempts to make her dinner and the two talk before preparing a sofa-bed for Isobel to stay the night. Katherine leaves for her bedroom and Isobel settles down to read, before Irwin arrives, thanks to Katherine who has secretly disobeyed Isobel and unbolted to door so he can get in. Irwin has brought a gun with him and begs Isobel to sleep with him - she refuses and the pair argue. Katherine returns and Isobel fails to convince her to go out to get the police to eject Irwin. Isobel then prepares to go out and Irwin shoots her just as she leaves.Scene 4
Back at Robert's house, Marion, Tom and Katherine reinstate its furniture and prepare for Isobel's funeral. Katherine leaves and Tom and Marion discuss her emotional difficulties. They then kiss and Tom leaves, before Marion ends the play with an emotional appeal to her dead sister.Cast (premiere)
- Marion - Penelope WiltonPenelope WiltonPenelope Alice Wilton, OBE is an English actress.-Life and career:Penelope Alice Wilton was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, to a former actress mother and a businessman father. She is a niece of actors Bill Travers and Linden Travers and a cousin of the actor Richard Morant...
- Tom - Paul ShelleyPaul ShelleyPaul Shelley is an English actor.Shelley trained at RADA and has mainly worked in the theatre as a classical actor...
- Katherine - Clare HigginsClare HigginsMary Clare Higgins, a Democrat, was elected to her first term as Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts in November 1999; she took office in January 2000. She was elected to a sixth two-yearterm in November 2009...
- Isobel - Jill BakerJill BakerJill Baker is a British actor. She was born Gillian Mary Baker in the UK.Baker made a brief appearance in Only Fools and Horses, in the episode "The Second Time Around", as Del Boy 's ex-fiance, Pauline Harris-Personal life:...
- Irwin - Mick FordMick FordMick Ford is a British actor, screenwriter and playwright, best known for his portrayal of intellectual convict Archer in the cinema version of Scum. He also played Chico Barnes in the TV series based on the Dick Francis racing thrillers...
- Rhonda Milne, Marion's research assistant - Arkie WhiteleyArkie WhiteleyArkie Deya Whiteley was an Australian actress who appeared in television and films.Arkie Whiteley's parents were the renowned artist Brett Whiteley and his wife Wendy Whiteley...