My Thoughts on the Play, Six Characters in Search Of An Author 1/29/2026…

Six members of a blended family crash a rehearsal of some nameless play in some nameless theater in some nameless city. These members—The Father, The Mother, The Son, The Stepdaughter, The Boy, and the Child—are all in utter despair. An event that fractured this family beyond belief haunts them and does not relent. These folks claim to be characters abandoned by their author because their story is too harrowing and tragic to bear.

Are these family members real people? Are they ghosts? Or are they, indeed, figments of a tortured author’s imagination?

Their story is shocking, and their torments are real. They all claim that they are doomed to live out their story, not to enjoy other aspects life has to offer, because there are no other aspects for them. They are their tragedy. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Ultimately, they convince the manager (read, director) to write down their story and perform their play.

Themes such as Reality Vs. Illusion, The Fragmented Self, and Authorship Vs. Autonomy are woven through this play brilliantly. I especially like the moments where the actors of the nameless play try to portray the words, struggles, and tribulations of the family in ridiculous, unconvincing ways.

I saw this play about thirty years ago, performed by a community theater group; one of my friends at the time portrayed the Son. I have to say, reading this play does not have the same impact as viewing it. Perhaps it’s because I knew all about the blended family’s tragedy and the events that led up to it this time around. If I had read this fresh, I gather my reaction would be one of genuine shock and disgust. (But then again, nothing surprises me these days).

Firstly, I recommend that folks see this play before they read it. But if you’re truly interested in the story, reading it, especially from a fresh perspective, may have the tortured author’s intended effect.