The scene takes place in the reception area of a seniors’ home. Alice, an elderly lady who lives in the home, is at odds with her middle-aged daughter, Loretta. On this day, a long history of annoyance and resentment steams out like lava through a fissure. Meanwhile, the manager of the home, Gwen, has her own resentments and disappointments. Her dreams of becoming a philosopher have been shoved aside by the stresses of her job and the demands of ordinary life.
As the trio starts, Alice has been left on her own in the lobby while her daughter and the manager talk privately in the office. Loretta, who is about to go on holiday, is there to ask Gwen to keep an eye on her mother, who she believes is showing signs of dementia.
This trio ends the first act of Castaways, a show whose style is closer to musical theatre than opera, although it could be said to lie somewhere between the two. It is therefore a good vehicle for singers who cross from one to the other. The middle section of the score is best performed as piano 4-hands. But if a second pianist is not available, two hands can still play most of it.
