Cosi (Currency Plays)

by Louis Nowra

Book Overview

Set in 1971, Cosi is Louis Nowra's second semi-autobiographical play. Lewis has recently left university and takes up a job in a mental institution directing Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte. Lewis, the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0868194034
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Gazelle Distribution Trade
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 2.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.3" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

Cosi - brilliant

Having both studied this text and performed it on stage I am very familiar with it, and can honestly give it a 5/5 rating. Nowra has written a riotous comedy set in a mad house, obviously exaggerating his characters, but in such a colourful play this is essential to the comic value. Although essentially a comedy the deeper themes of love, fidelity, sanity and compassion are poignant but not overbearing, so although the readers/audience has a hell of a fun ride, one still comes away with a changed perspective. The warning from the reviewer above misses the point of this play somewhat - Nowra's purpose is not to make fun of or mock the patients, or to highlight their dangerousness; rather it is to show the extent of Lewis' compassionate involvement and 'journey' throughout. Cosi is a extremely funny yet very relevant script which gets my 100% seal of approval. Get it!

Cosi not entirely true...

I had to read this book as part of my Senior English course, and knowing more than one mentally ill person - one of whom is currently living in a mental health clinic - I found that Nowra's portrayal of mental illness is not quite true. Only very rarely does someone suffer so badly from mental illness that they appear similar to the characters in "Cosi". Nowra's portayal of these patient's has been greatly exaggerated for theatrical purposes, and I just want people to be aware of that as many people I know who have read this book have simply assumed that all mentally ill people deserve to be locked away for fear of them hurting others. This is an incorrect assumption.

Madness of this book.

this book is ok, and banned in one country, guess

a learning journey

Cosi offers an opportunity to view life through the eyes of someone different. Lewis is on a journey of discovery; learning about himself his lover and the people around him. Cosi says something to us about the way we treat others, lies and deception hurt. Love is a universal theme.

Reality is Deceiving

In Cosi, mental patients teach Lewis a lot about life in and out of the walls of the institution, a major theme being that of reality and deception. Lewis is directing a play for the inmates.