Super Short Summary

Cloud 9, a two-act play by Caryl Churchill first performed in 1979, juxtaposes two distinct historical settings—colonial Africa in the nineteenth century and London in 1979—to examine changes in political repression related to race, gender, sexuality, and colonialism. The characters from the first act reappear in the second act, only twenty-five years older, with different actors and gender-swapped roles, creating a complex narrative that highlights societal shifts and personal transformations. This play includes sexual content and instances of racial and gender-based discrimination.