In the very first scene where Clive is discussing his family and their motives as servants of the British Empire, I told myself that I was about to experience something rather boring. However, the story almost immediately took a sharp turn and the next thing I knew, homosexuality, child molestation, adultery, and heavy racism all had an influence on the first act of Cloud Nine. Nevertheless, this half of the play revealed a wicked conservative era where homosexuality, gender equality, and racial equality had no bearing on the times whatsoever. My impression of the play was a look at these times as a whole. Did this strong oppression-filled era push several groups over the edge? Is this what led to the liberation and experimentation that came with the 1970’s? I believe that the jump of 100 years is to signify the historical element of when these two polar opposites occurred, and the 25 year difference between the characters are an indicator of this effect on their lives.