Così

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Cosi redirects here; for other meanings see COSI (disambiguation).

Così is a play by Australian playwright Louis Nowra. First performed in 1992, it features a former university student, Lewis, trying to direct a group of patient in a psychiatric hospital who try to stage a production of Mozart's opera Così Fan Tutte. Set in Australia in 1970, Così is semi-autobiographical. The diverse patients in Lewis's cast bring out a new side of him that allows him to become emotionally involved, while anti-Vietnam war protests erupt in the streets outside. The patients make up a wide spectrum including Doug, an obsessive pyromaniac; Cherry, a food-addicted romantic; Julie, a junkie; Roy; Henry, an older, silent man; Ruth, obsessed with counting and Zac, a drugged up pianist. Other characters include Lewis's girlfriend Lucy and his best mate Nick.

[edit] Themes

Society's misconception of the Mentally ill

Love and Fidelity

War

The play was also made into a film in 1996, starring Toni Collette, screenplay also by Nowra. It won the Australian Award for best performance by an actress for Toni Collette. It was also nominated for best screenplay and best director. It includes cameos by Bruce Campbell, Chuck Palahniuk, James Hewson, Matt Lynch and Louis Nowra himself.