Description
In an American town we witness three funeral ceremonies for which the deceased have been granted military honours. As we meet the relatives we discover that none of the dead has been killed on active duty and that the inglorious nature of their deaths prevents the families from truly coming to terms with their loss.
A single mother struggles to make sense of her daughter’s death in an ‘accident’ on base, while her oldest friend finds that far from bonding over the tragedy, she is further alienated from her community.
A young widow mourns her veteran husband’s suicide, still unable to end her affair with her sister-in-law’s fiancé.
The sudden death of a retired colonel leaves his army-officer daughter distraught and at loggerheads with his grieving second wife, a woman of her own age.
And a funeral home assistant must hide his own demons as he clings to a new job on being discharged from the military.
At a time when the United States’ volunteer army is stretched to breaking point, Glockenspiel explores the war on the home front, the alliances formed by those left behind and the sense of betrayal and rage that undermines trust, support and hope.
While tackling issues of race, class and sex, the play also celebrates the humour and spirit of ordinary people trapped in an extraordinary situation.
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