novel tells the story of a young man named Lewis , fresh from university who accepts the challenge of producing a play in a burnt out old theatre as occupational therapy for the patients of a state run insane asylum in 1971.

It is the time of student protest and free love. Lewis is young and arrives at the institution with minimal commitment to the project and a promise to his girlfriend Lucy and best mate Nick in the “change the world” marches and protests.

When Lewis arrives at the asylum he meets Justin Anderson, who is the social worker who hired Lewis to direct the play. Lewis then continues to meet Roy who is an eccentric and manic depressant who is obsessed with the works of Mozart, Ruth a shy and obsessive woman, Doug who is a crude individual who has a passion for starting fires, Julie who is a drug addict and was committed by her parents at a young age , Henry a stuttering and almost catatonic lawyer, Cherry who is a nice person and fancies Lewis and Zac the tranquilized piano player who loves wagner.

Roy convinces Lewis to direct the opera “Cosi fan

The use of Metaphors are also evident in the novel. The burnt-out stage is a metaphor for the world at large, & the drama which is enacted on its charred surface is a reflection of the larger drama taking place outside.With it being set in the 1970s,the Vietnam War frames the drama. The madness of the war reflects the madness of the patients etc.

Tutte” by Mozart, despite the fact that it is an opera which is written in Italian and that no one can perform the music. The rehearsals only just get underway when Doug “accidently” set fire to the toilets.

Lewis is then forced to take Doug’s role. Lewis is started to be drawn to Julie and finds himself beginning to fall for her. Lewis also has to put up with Cherry’s continues attention and the shoving of food in his mouth. Nick has come into help Lewis with the play. With the issue of the war, Henry is drawn to talk and is offended at Lewis idea to dress the soldiers is communist uniform.

After the show Lewis is thanked by Justin. Cherry promises Lewis that she will write him love letters, The last section of the play is an address to the audience by Lewis. Lewis informs the audience of the patients after he leaves, we are told that Lucy and Nick didn’t last long together as they could not remain faithful, Henry died soon after, Roy went from ward to ward, Julie died from a drug overdose and Zac left the asylum and joined and rock and roll group named the Psychotic Wagners.

Some topics in this essay:
Vietnam War, Fidelity Madness, Lewis Nowra, Tutte” Mozart, Lewis Cherry’s, Mozart Ruth, Lucy Nick, Wagners Cosi, Nick Metaphors, Justin Anderson, change perspective, outside world, visit lewis, crude sense, julie drug, lucy nick, doug crude, lewis lucy, love fidelity, lewis direct,