Act 1, Part 1 Summary

The drunken and happily deluded peace of a group of regulars at a low-end bar is interrupted by the irregular behavior of a regular visitor, who pushes them to change the way they look at themselves and the world. The story of their painful, aborted attempts to change themselves makes thematic points about the nature of dreams, the power of false illusions, and the difficulties of life without them.

As the play begins, it's another routine night for the regulars at Harry Hope's saloon and bar. Larry, Hugo, Wetjoen, Jimmy, Lewis, Joe, McGloin, Mosher, Willie, and Harry Hope have all had too much to drink and are close to passing out. Rocky comes in, and an extended conversation with Larry reveals that almost all the regulars are running tabs, always promising to pay tomorrow. Larry cynically comments on how they all...