<P> Prologue The play opens with Beverly Weston, a once - famous poet, interviewing Johnna, a young Cheyenne woman, for a position as live - in cook and caregiver for his wife Violet, who is being treated for mouth cancer due to heavy cigarette use for most of her life . Violet is addicted to several different kinds of prescription drugs and exhibits paranoia and mood swings . Beverly, who freely admits that he is an alcoholic, lightly converses about Violet's current problems, most of which Beverly concedes are the result of personal demons too powerful to be cured by drugs . Violet enters the scene clearly affected by her drugs . After an incoherent and combative argument with Beverly, Violet returns upstairs . Beverly hires Johnna, lends her a book of TS Eliot's poetry, and continues to drink . </P> <P> Act One Several weeks later . Beverly Weston has not been seen for five days . Several family members have gathered in the house to provide support for Violet including her daughter Ivy, her sister Mattie Fae and Mattie Fae's husband Charlie . When Violet is not making calls attempting to track down her husband or popping pills, she spends the time sniping at her family, particularly Ivy, whom she criticizes for her mode of dress and lack of a romantic life . The news comes that Beverly's boat is missing, furthering the fear that he has committed suicide . Ivy's older sister Barbara arrives from Boulder, Colorado with her husband Bill and 14 - year - old daughter Jean . Barbara has not visited her mother in several years, and has mixed feelings about returning to the house because of the confrontational nature of their relationship . They fall into an argument almost immediately, during which Violet accuses her of abandoning her family and breaking her father's heart . </P> <P> Later in the evening, Jean bonds with Johnna after the older woman allows her to smoke some marijuana in her room . She confides to Johnna that her parents are separated and are attempting to hide the fact from the family . Bill and Barbara argue over the cause of their separation as they make a bed out of the fold - out sofa in the living room: Bill is sleeping with a much - younger woman, one of his students at the university where he teaches . At five AM, the local sheriff, Deon Gilbeau (Barbara's high school boyfriend) rings the doorbell and breaks the news that Beverly has been found drowned . Barbara goes to identify the body as Violet comes downstairs in a drug - addled fog . The act ends with her spiraling into confusion . </P> <P> Act Two Several days later . The family has come from Beverly's funeral . Violet spends a quiet moment alone in Beverly's office, bitterly reproaching him for leaving her, and takes some more pills . Before the memorial dinner prepared for the family by Johnna, several family arguments and scenes arise . Ivy and Barbara's sister Karen has flown in from Florida with her new fiancé and can talk about nothing except her wedding plans, distressing Barbara . During an argument with her mother and Mattie Fae, Ivy unwittingly confesses that she is seeing someone romantically but refuses to say who . Mattie Fae and Charlie's son Little Charles has overslept and missed the funeral . His father is sympathetic but Mattie Fae is, as usual, rude to and critical of her son . Karen's fiancé Steve discovers that Jean is a pot - smoker and offers to share his stash with her, lewdly flirting with the teenaged girl . In a private moment, it is revealed that Ivy's lover is actually Little Charles, her first cousin . </P>

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