Gabriel

Author(s): Moira Buffini
Set on the island of Guernsey in 1943, a Nazi officer named Von Pfunz has commandeered the house of a family of British women. The island is occupied by the Germans, so Jeanne Becquet, her young daughter Estelle, and her daughter-in-law Lily are forced to share their home with the Nazis. Von Pfunz is intent on proving that Lily is Jewish and is determined to have her shipped off to a camp. When a handsome young man is washed up on the beach, naked and unconscious, the women nurse him back to health. The man, whom they name Gabriel, finally regains consciousness and it is discovered he can speak both English and German fluently, although he has no recollection of who he is. The women are convinced he is a British pilot, while Von Pfunz is convinced he’s a Nazi.
Format: Full-length drama
Cast Size:2M/4F
Character breakdown:

Jeanne Becquet: a collaborator
Estelle: her daughter, aged ten
Lily: her daughter-in-law
Lake: a housekeeper
Von Pfunz: a Nazi
Gabriel: a lost man

Notes:

Winner of the 1996 LWT Plays on Stage Award.

Snapshot

Original or Prominent Production:
Soho Theatre Company, London, May 1, 1997.
Nationality of Author: English
Original Language: English
Publisher:

Faber and Faber, London

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