THE STORY: A wonderfully screwy comedy-drama that figures Ulysses S. Grant in the throes of writing his memoirs while battling throat cancer, crushing debt, the labyrinth of his memories and the haunting tragedy of the battle of Cold Harbor, all the while surrounded by a cast of fantastical characters, including the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the opera star Adelina Patti and Mark Twain.
“A FEW STOUT INDIVIDUALS bounces high off the springboard of real-life American history…the play studies the tragic yet ultimately victorious final days of Ulysses S. Grant. Unleashing his powers of cosmic wit, Guare uses this dark scenario to reflect thoughtfully upon the interdependence of memory and history…A FEW STOUT INDIVIDUALS stands among Guare’s best plays. Guare’s smarts, passion and creativity skyrocket to awesome heights. In this remarkable work, Guare illuminates the dusty pages of history so that we can understand our heritage in the contemporary glow of his imagination.” —The Star-Ledger (NJ).
“…unmistakably the product of Mr. Guare’s exotic yet very American imagination…distinctive theatrical exuberance.” —The New York Times.
“A FEW STOUT INDIVIDUALS is precisely the kind of good new play that you might call an everyday miracle.” —Village Voice.
