Wife
Wife
Steven’s naïve and enduringly selfless wife. 20-30 year old female. Mezzo Soprano (G3-F5). She is desperately in love with Steven despite harbouring a seed of doubt before their wedding (All Because I Do). She starts off on cloud nine but soon finds married life isolating and disappointing. Steven consistently lets her down which slowly eats away at her trust and leads her to question his loyalty (If I Never Knew You). She becomes lost in her loneliness and finds comfort in the attention of another man (He's Not You). Steven abruptly decides to leave the failing relationship one morning over breakfast and stifled by her shock she lets him go without protest (I Still Have Me). As time moves on, she starts to rebuild her sense of self but when a Christmas card arrives addressed to her and Steven she is automatically transported back to the compliant woman she was. However, asserting her newfound strength she humorously fantasises about what revenge would look like (I'll Forever Keep A Part Of You).
First performed by Celeste Notley-Smith (2015)
Mother
Mother
Steven’s comically overbearing mother. 40+ year old female. Mezzo Soprano (G3-E5). She is loud, a little bit posh and obsessed with maintaining the perfect image of her dysfunctional family. Her only child, Steven, is the centre of her world but that is jeopardised when Steven gets married. Competing for Steven’s time and attention she sees Steven’s blushing bride as a threat to her position in her son’s life and the reason why Steven appears to be avoiding her (Now The Bitch Is His Wife). She is far from PC and is an obvious alcoholic (My Little Possum & I). In her struggle to deal with reality she concocts implausible narratives to uncomfortable questions (Steven's Box). She doesn’t grow much as a character, only becoming increasingly isolated in her perceived abandonment.
First performed by Brooke Davidson (2015)
Father
Father
Steven’s distant and emotionally stifled father. 40+ year old male. Baritone (F2-E4). He is the most intuitive of all of the characters. He appears to know his son better than anyone else but is crippled by an inherited silence - one that has stifled the communication between generations of fathers and sons (Three Small Words). In contrast to his wife, Steven’s father is proud when his son gets married. He loves his new daughter-in-law and sees the marriage as the necessary step for Steven to grow into the man he knows he can be. He is overshadowed by his overbearing wife who he endures to keep the peace and because he sees marriage as a lifelong commitment (Middle Ground). He is deeply disappointed when Steven’s marriage appears to fall apart after only a few months but a terminal diagnosis has him reflect on how he parented Steven and the legacy it will leave (I Never Told You).
First performed by Simon Gillespie (2015)
The Ex
The Ex
Steven’s seemingly superficial and submissive Ex-boyfriend. 20-30 year old male. Tenor (Ab2-Bb4). A much earlier closeted relationship was rekindled amidst Steven’s pre-wedding jitters - a wedding that Steven conveniently kept hidden (Sex With An Ex). For The Ex, the reunion produced hope that finally Steven was ready to commit, however, his willingness to engage in degrading acts for Steven’s sexual gratification and attention reflect his own poor self image and doesn’t gain him the type of wholesome relationship he is yearning for (Memories of You). When he learns that Steven is married he is devastated yet he struggles to reconcile the Steven of his fantasies with the Steven of his reality (Secret On The Side). His intense and paralysing love for Steven is paralleled by deep and devastating emotional wounds exacerbated by Steven (Steven & Me). Eventually, after great reflection, he makes the self-empowering decision to leave behind the toxic relationship (I'll Say Goodbye).
First performed by Lucas Glover (2015)