Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by Tom Stoppard. Short summary

5 seconds

Soviet dissident Alexander is put in an insane asylum in the same room as the raving lunatic Ivanov. Alexander receives a hint that his son Sasha may be killed. Alexander goes mad.

1 minute

A play whose action takes place in a mental hospital ward, a doctor’s office and a school classroom.

The main character is Alexander Ivanov, a Soviet political dissident. He is placed in the same room with Ivanov, a really crazy man who constantly hears an orchestra. The patient mistakes Alexander for a musician, when he refuses to play, Ivanov goes into a rage.

In his office, the doctor «treats» Ivanov by constantly repeating, «You don’t have an orchestra.» In the school classroom, the teacher scolds the boy Sasha for having such a bad father — defaming the Soviet regime in front of capitalist journalists.

In the cell, Alexander tries to tell Ivanov how he got here. He tried to lead a life far removed from politics, but could not keep silent about the injustice.

Sasha was brought to the hospital to persuade his father to stop the hunger strike. Ivanov argues with imaginary musicians. The doctor demands that he renounce his views. All this undermines Alexander’s health. He is discharged, but mentally ill.