La Ronde

Arthur Schnitzler, Translated by Eric Bentley

Characters: 5 male, 5 female

By the author of the classic romantic romp The Loves of Anatol, Schnitzler's popular roundelay of love in old Vienna is told in ten interwoven scenes: two characters appear in each and one of these moves into the next. The soldier of the first scene leaves a prostitute to appear in the next scene with a parlor maid. The maid then departs to be with her wealthy employer. He, in turn, receives his mistress, a certain married lady. The next scene is reveals the married lady and her husband and then the husband meets a street girl at a private cafe. This girl and her poet lover, the poet and the actress, the actress and the count, and finally the count and the prostitute bring the evening full circle.