The Visitor in the Storm: A Theatre Play Adapted from Kate Chopin's Novel

The Visitor in the Storm is a theatre play adapted from Kate Chopin's novel The Storm. It follows the story of Calixta and her ex-lover Alcee as they give in to their lust during a sudden storm. The play explores the themes of passion, infidelity, and destruction.

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Adapted from Kate Chopin's novel The Storm, 1898
Title of the Play : The Visitor in the Storm
Synopsis: The play revolves around Kate Chopin’s novel ‘The Storm’. It is about an inevitable
storm that occurs all of a sudden. The storm signifies the arrival of Calixta’s ex-lover. He comes
all of a sudden just like the storm and as he leaves, he shatters Calixta into pieces. She feels
destroyed by the sin she commits in the form of infidelity. The storm consumes and destroys her
whole.
Characters:
Bobinot: A humble, strong, dotting father and loving husband.
Calixta: Bobinot’s wife and Bibi’s mother.
Bibi : Bobinot’s and Calixta’s four year old son (Beer).
Alcee: Calixta’s ex-lover and Clarisse’s husband.
Clarisse: Alcee’s wife.
Scene 1:
Location : Friedheimer's store
Bibi : Father look at the sky. I think it is going to rain.

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Bobinot : (Looking out of the store’s window) Oh yes! Child I think there is a storm coming
tonight. I think it will be better if we stay in until the storm surpasses. Meanwhile, let me by
some shrimps for your mother (goes to buy a can if shrimp) (de Deus Rocha).
Bibi : (Holds the trousers of his father with his little hands and follows).
Scene 2:
Location: Bobinot’s house
(Calixta is busy sewing when suddenly she notices that darkness has engulfed the entire sky and
she starts panicking about her husband and child. She gets up, shuts the windows, and decides to
get back Bibi and Bobinot’s clothes).
(Alcee rides up to the house to Calixta’s amazement. Alcee was her former lover. The storm
seems to approach soon).
Calixta : Hey! Long time huh? How have you been Alcee (Boriçi).
Alcee : Hello. Yeah long time. I’m great. How are you sweet Calixta?
Calixta : I am good too. How is your family?
Alcee: They’re doing well. They’re away at Biloxi.
Calixta : Oh! (She falls short of words. There is an awkward silence between them)
(Calixta looking up at the reproaching storm) Why don’t you come inside Alcee the weather is
too bad. It can rain any minute.
Alcee : Are you sure? (There is hesitation in his voice)

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Calixta : Why yes!
(Both of them go inside and Calixta closes the door behind them)
Calixta : Alcee please have seat. What would you like to drink? Coffee, tea or some wine?
Alcee : (still feeling uncomfortable) Uhh..I guess I will be fine.
Calixta : (resumes sewing) So where were you going?
Alcee : I was coming back from the market.
(He looks at her and recollects all the love and passion he once had for her. But he instantly
deviate from his mind. Calixta catches him looking at her. As if, she could read his mind).
It starts raining heavily. Calixta gets up from her seat, goes to the window, and becomes so
nervous that she falls down on the floor (Nagel). Alcee quickly goes to pick her up and tries to
comfort her. She takes shelter in his arms and both of them are reminded of the feelings they
once had for each other. In this moment of weakness, they give in to their lust and no matter
how hard they try to refrain from each other they cannot. They only get drawn towards each
other. They kiss each other fiercely. In reality, the conjugal life of Bobinot and Calixta was not
that exciting and passionate. No doubt, that Bobinot was a very caring and responsible husband.
However, he was the strong and silent kind. Whereas, Alcee was flashy and flamboyant, Bobinot
lacked passion and was boring. The only person who could satisfy her passion was Alcee. In that
moment they did not stop. They could not. They did not want to. They did not think what was
right or what was wrong. They did not think about their family and society. They were
intertwined in each other’s arms.
Calixta : Alcee please stop! This is not right.

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Alcee : (kissing her fiercely everywhere) Please don’t ask me to stop Calxita. I have missed you
so much. I have missed your smell, your soft skin, your lips, and your cascading hair. I have
missed everything about you. It was a blunder that I had let you go (Räsänen).
Calixta : Oh! But we are both married now. We have our spouses and children. I love my family
Alcee. Yes I do.
Alcee : You think I don’t love them? Nevertheless, I have a weakness towards you too.
He kisses her everywhere making her grasp for breath (Gil). She finally gives in, fully aware of
the sin she was about to commit. He takes her to the couch and slowly unties her dress. The
storm outside is so much similar to the storm raging in their hearts. The storm fell short of its
own passion seeing the passionate love making of Alcee and Calixta.
Alcee: You haven’t changed Calixta. You’re still the same girl I knew. You’re so beautiful.
Calixta : (Realizing what a terrible mistake she had committed.) I think you should go now. I
don’t love you Alcee. There was a time I did. I don’t anymore. Bobinot will be heartbroken if he
finds out (Birnbaum).
Alcee : Don’t worry no one will ever find out. I love my family too. I wish you and your family
all the happiness, love and peace in the world. May you never run out of love. Goodbye Calixta
take care of yourself.
The door shuts behind Calixta. She falls in the ground with her skirt clenched to her bosom. She
starts cursing the Universe and bursts into tears.

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Calixta : Oh God! What have I done? I have cheated on my husband who lives me so much. How
could I do this in the heat of the moment? I have wronged Bobinot so much. How will I ever
show my face to him? I am a horrible wife and a terrible mother (Short).
Scene 3:
Location : Friedheimer's store
Bobinot : I wonder how is your mother, Bibi. I hope she is fine (Fisher).
Bibi : Dada don’t worry. Mummy is fine.
( Little Bibi sees a fallen tree on the road and exclaims) Look Dada!
Bobinot : Yes Bib I can see. A tree has fallen. It has been uprooted. The roots of the trees may
not have been strong enough.
He takes Bibi in his arms and walks as fast as possible to reach home.
Meanwhile in the house, Calixta cleans the house, chops vegetables to cook dinner. She hears a
loud knock in the front door, recognizing that bit was Bibi and Bobnoit she hurriedly opens it.
She embraces her little boy in a warm hug. Tears of guilt and joy fall from her eyes.
Calixta : I am happy and relieved that you two are back. I have missed you so much. It was a
long painful moment to be away from the two of you.
Bobinot : Oh my darling Calixta! Oh sweet Calixta! You are such a good and caring wife and
mother. You worry too much. Don’t stress yourself so much my dear (Rooks). What could have
happened to us ? We were inside the store and we were safe. I was worried about you my dear.

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Calixta : Oh honey! I have been fine.
Bobinto : Yes I can see that. You are a brave girl, my Calixta. I am glad we are all fine. It is just
that Bib and I are a bit dirty from the storm.
Calixta : A storm is meant to carry a bit of dust along with it Bob. Don’t worry we can always
clean off the dust. I will bathe Bib darling and you go and take a shower.
She carries the child on her lap and takes him to the washroom.
Scene 4 :
Location : Alcee’s house.
Alcee is seen here writing a letter to his wife Clarisse. He reads the letter to himself :
Dearest Clarisse,
This separation from you feels like one long inescapable moment for me. Our distance is giving
me sleepless nights. The house no longer feels like a home without you in it. I miss you so much
my darling. Though I anticipate your coming back to me, I also want you to enjoy your time
there. You can stay for as long as you want my dearest (Kioski). Please be safe and happy.
Nothing in the world is more important to me other than your happiness because you are my
world. I know the kids are doing well too after all they are with their loving and caring mother. I
will wait for your reply my dearest Clarisse. Take good care of yourself. My arms will wait to
embrace you once again.
- Your lover, now and forever,
Alcee.

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After reading the entire letter, Alcee let out a deep sigh. He knew about the hidden truths
and the lies in those words. He was feeling remorseful and sad for himself as well as
Calixta. He was, in fact worried about Calixta (Gale).
Alcee : (murmuring to himself with folded hands) Dear God, I hope Calxita is fine.
Please don’t punish her for the wrongs I have done. It was not her fault. I have known all
my life that love is the purest form of emotion. Then how can love and passion be wrong?
Is it a sin because our relationship has no name? But I still love her. I still feel weak when
I see her. She still occupies a part of my heart. Oh Lord! Please keep her and her family
safe and happy. Do not punish them for the infidelity committed on my part.
(The curtain closes with this scene.)

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References
Beer, Janet. Kate Chopin, Edith Wharton and Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Studies in Short Fiction.
Springer, 2016.
Birnbaum, Michele A. "" Alien Hands": Kate Chopin and the Colonization of Race." American
Literature 66.2 (1994): 301-323.
Boriçi, Florinda. "The Conflict between the Spiritual and the Sensual Dimension in Kate
Chopin’s Short Stories." Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences 4.9 (2013): 314.
de Deus Rocha, Vanessa. "A Comparative Study Between The Female Characters In The Storm
And The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin." Grau Zero 6.1 (2018): 59-73.
Fisher, Mark. How to Write About Theatre: A Manual for Critics, Students and Bloggers.
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015.
Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Kate Chopin's" The Storm". Gale, Cengage
Learning, 2016.
Gil, Eulalia Piñero. "The Pleasures of Music: Kate Chopin’s Artistic and Sensorial
Synesthesia." Kate Chopin in Context. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2015. 83-100.
Kioski, Bernard, ed. The Historian's Awakening: Reading Kate Chopin's Classic Novel as
Social and Cultural History. ABC-CLIO, 2018.
Nagel, James. Race and Culture in New Orleans Stories: Kate Chopin, Grace King, Alice
Dunbar-Nelson, and George Washington Cable. University of Alabama Press, 2014.

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Räsänen, Jutta. "“Free! Body and soul free!”: Kate Chopin’s Unhappy and Unfaithful Wives and
the Demand for Women’s Rights." (2018).
Rooks, Amanda Kane. "Reconceiving the terrible mother: Female sexuality and maternal
archetypes in Kate Chopin’s the Awakening." Women's Studies 45.2 (2016): 122-141.
Short, Mick. Exploring the language of poems, plays and prose. Routledge, 2016.