Act I: "Fun and Games"

The play takes place one late night on the campus of a small New England college, in the home of a childless, middle-aged couple. Martha is the daughter of the college president and George, her husband, a professor of history whose career has stalled. The two stumble in from a faculty party where it is obvious that they have already been drinking a great deal. Their conversation is disjointed, Martha making jokes that George ignores or appears not to understand. She chastises him for his behavior at the party: "you never do anything; you never mix. "

¦Martha has apparently invited a young couple, "what's-their-name," over to continue the festivities. Neither George nor Martha can remember much about their guests, to whom "Daddy said we should be nice." When George expresses frustration at Martha always springing such things on him, Martha pokes fun...