Idiot's Delight

Idiot's Delight Summary | Act 1 Summary

Idiot's Delight is set at the Hotel Monte Gabriele, a fictional location in the Italian Alps near the borders of Switzerland and Austria in the late 1930's. The hotel is an upscale boutique-style establishment under the ownership of an Italian named Pittaluga. Pittaluga has employed an American outdoor enthusiast, Don Navadel, to provide winter sports lessons and activities for the guests.

Pittaluga is especially pleased that the hotel is refined. It is small and slightly remote, but it incorporates elegant touches such as live orchestra music and a formally dressed wait staff.

The specter of war has been looming large and the hotel has suffered from the lack of tourism in the area. Don left a secure position in America to accept this one. His talents for outdoor sports are grossly underutilized, and he is particularly disgruntled. No one could have predicted the political climate and the unfortunate turn of events for the hotel, least of all Pittaluga, who tries to maintain a positive outlook for the sake of the staff as their few guests.

However, tonight brings unexpected guests to the hotel from a Switzerland-bound train that has been stopped at the border due to the suspicion that war has broken out. A local military captain in the bar is soon joined by a German, Dr. Waldersee, who is extremely distressed that he has been denied passage into Switzerland that night. It becomes clear that the doctor is a cancer researcher who feels that his research efforts are in jeopardy if he doesn't make it into neutral Switzerland.

Don is escorting a smartly dressed man named Harry Van, who is accompanied by six blonde girls. Harry manages and promotes their act as "Les Blondes." The girls are Americans who have been performing in the Balkan countries and are on their way to a booking in Geneva. Hearing that the train is detained, Harry asks the captain about alternate ways into Switzerland. Unfortunately, the captain informs him that the borders have been closed to all types of traffic because of the war rumors.

Harry is an amiable sort and resigns himself to the situation. He makes room arrangements for the girls, who are delighted to stay in a comfortable hotel rather than a train car for the night.

A honeymooning couple from Britain, Mr. and Mrs. Cherry, seem delighted by the hotel's magnificent scenery and ambience. They seem very much in love and oblivious to the others gathered in the hotel's bar and lobby area as they head out for a walk.

The appearance of several Italian soldiers in the bar area quiets the other guests momentarily. They expect a formal declaration of war at any moment, but the men are out for an evening of fun and ignore the others in the hotel.

Harry strikes up a conversation with another bar patron, Quillery, a French labor union leader who is returning home from a meeting. Quillery remarks on the assortment of people passing through the hotel that evening. He considers this to be appropriate, given that the building's original function was a Swiss sanitarium for the insane.

Quillery prefers the concept of revolution over war. He believes people-power is ultimately stronger and longer lasting than the force of guns and bombs. His conversation is cut short, however, when the Italian officers are seen hurrying from the bar, and Quillery thinks that he heard them say that the war has begun. Leaving the country immediately is of primary importance to Quillery, and he exits the bar with high hopes of crossing the border.

Pittaluga is suddenly very animated and excited as another guest, a beautiful Russian model named Irene, creates a stir as she enters the room. Don escorts her to the main window, from which four countries can be seen. She exclaims that she must tell all her friends in Paris about such a wonderful little find. Her companion, Achille Weber, is a well-dressed executive who is not as overwhelmed by the accommodations.

Finally, the captain announces that there is a strong rumor that Italy is now at war with France. There is speculation that Germany has mobilized, and it won't be long before all-out war is declared. Harry, always the entertainer, plays the piano and sings and makes his own declaration that doubt can claim the night, but truth owns the light of day. The orchestra plays, and the guests dance.