Fools (play)
Encyclopedia : F : FO : FOO : Fools (play)
Fools is a light-hearted romantic comedy by Neil Simon, set in the small village of Kulyenchikov, Russia, during the late 1800s. The play opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on April 6, 1981, where it was directed by Mike Nichols, and ran for forty performances. This play was the result of an agreement Mr. Simon made with his wife during their divorce. She was promised the proceeds of his next play, so he attempted to write something that would never last on Broadway.
Summary
The story starts with Leon Tolchiensky, an ambitious young schoolteacher, arriving in the village of Kulyenchikov. Upon arrival, Leon encounters a rather 'unintelligent' shepherd by the name of "Something Something Snetsky, the sheep loser." After a confusing and tedious conversation with Snetsky, Leon goes off to find the home of his new employer, Doctor Zubrinsky.
Leon meets with Doctor Zubrinsky and his wife, Lenya, after struggling with the locals (Mishkin the postman, Slovitch the butcher, and Yenchna the vendor). He is introduced to the Zubrinsky's daughter, Sophia, and is immediately lovestruck. Alas, she proves to be just as unintelligent as the rest of them, if not more so.
He discovers that the town's idiocy is no accident, that it is a 200-year curse of stupidity cast on them by Vladimir Yousekevich after his son killed himself because the young Sophia Zubrinsky refused his hand. If Leon can't educate her within 24 hours of his arrival in Kulyenchikov, he, too, will fall victim to the curse. And the curse can only be broken if he can educate Sophia . . . or if she marries a Yousekevich.
As well as idiocy, the people of Kulyenchikov are also incapable of loving. Still, even without love, the last of the Yousekevich line, Count Gregor, proposes to Sophia twice a day. With more motivation than ever, Leon strives to educate Sophia. Try as he might, 9 o'clock rolls around, as announced by the magistrate, and all seems to be lost.
But Leon, being the smart young man that he is, fools everyone into believing the curse has befallen him. Count Gregor adopts him as a son, and Leon and Sophia are set to be wed. At the last minute, Count Gregor admits that the adoption papers are actually divorce papers and the wedding is nearly called off until he 'kindly' offers to marry Sophia.
With yet another trick up his sleeve, Leon asks the postman for his urgent letter and announces that his uncle has died and left all his debts to him. He says that that changing their surname couldn't help them escape the debt, and when asked what the surname was, he says "Yousekevich." So Leon and Sophia are wed, and the curse of Kulyenchikov is broken.
Characters
- Leon Tolchiensky
- Sophia Zubrinsky
- Gregor Yousekevich
- Doctor Zubrinsky
- Lenya Zubrinsky
- Snetsky
- Mishkin
- Slovitch
- Magistrate
- Yenchna
Quotes
Leon: What is your favorite color?
Sophia: My favorite color . . . is yellow.
Leon: Why, Sophia, why is your favorite color yellow?
Sophia: Because it doesn't stick to your fingers as much.
Doctor: Would you like a prescription?
Magistrate: What for?
Doctor: I don't know. Some people just like prescriptions. Here, take this to the druggist, pick out something you like, and take it three times a day with a little water.
Doctor: You're in perfect health. You'll live to be eighty.
Magistrate: I'm seventy-nine now.
Doctor: Well, you have a great year ahead of you.
External links
- [Fools] at the Internet Broadway Database.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.