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Characters
Sidney Hopcroft is a thirty-something, middle-class businessman who appears to own a chain of stores, and later a number of apartment buildings. However, the precise nature of his business is never fully explained. Initially portrayed as a mediocre, talentless man, Sidney’s fortunes grow between each act of the play. In the first act, his fortunes are insecure, and he is eager to impress his wealthier, more successful friends. But by the third act, it is Sidney who seems wealthy and self-satisfied, while his friends are eager to flatter him. In some ways, Sidney is presented as a pathetic character—in particular, his infatuation with games seems childish. In other ways, Sidney could be interpreted as an aggressive, even abusive character: he seems to take his wife, Jane Hopcroft, for granted, and to think of her as a tool to help him impress his friends and make more money. But ultimately, Sidney is neither hero nor villain. Like every other character in the play, he’s adrift in the world—even though he’s doing well in Act Three, it’s not hard to imagine an Act Four in which he’s poor again.
Sidney Hopcroft Quotes in Absurd Person Singular
The Absurd Person Singular quotes below are all either spoken by Sidney Hopcroft or refer to Sidney Hopcroft. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act One Quotes
SIDNEY: [chuckling knowingly] I don't imagine the wife of a banker will particularly choose to spend her evening in our kitchen. Smart as it is.
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As the play begins, Sidney and Jane Hopcroft are preparing for a Christmas party. Jane is concerned with cleaning every room of the house, including the kitchen—even though Sidney, her husband, insists that none of the guests will want to go in there. As it turns out, Sidney is wrong: the guests do go in the kitchen, and in fact, the entire play is set in three different kitchens, across three different years. So the line is an ironic joke that sets the tone for the rest of the play. Contrary to what Sidney condescendingly claims, the guests will look Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. P
JANE: No, but it's special tonight, isn't it? I mean, with Mr. and Mrs. Brewster-Wright and Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. It's important.
SIDNEY: Don't forget Dick and Lottie Potter. They're coming, too.
JANE: Oh, well, I don't count Dick and Lottie. They're friends.
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Jane and Sidney are nervous about hosting their Christmas party, as many hosts would be. They want to make good impressions on their guests, and make it clear that they have a lovely, respectable suburban home. But as this passage makes clear, not all the guests are equal in the Hopcrofts’ eyes. Some are more important and respectable than others. The Brewster-Wrights, in particular, are people who Jane and Sidney see as very important. The passage establishes one of the key themes of the play: there’s an intricate social hierarchy, and every one of the Hopcrofts’ friends belongs in a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita
MARION: Just look at these working surfaces and you must have a gorgeous view from that window, I imagine.
SIDNEY: Well…
MARION: It must be stunning. You must look right over the fields at the back.
SIDNEY: No—no.
JANE: No, we just look into next door's fence.
MARION: Well, which way are the fields?
JANE: I've no idea.
MARION: How extraordinary. I must be thinking of somewhere else.
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In this scene, there’s a subtle contest between the host and their guests. Marion Brewster-Wright and her husband, Robert, are clearly wealthier and more socially distinguished than the Hopcrofts. As Marion examines the Hopcrofts’ home, she makes various comments suggesting that it’s not a very nice place to live: it doesn’t have a good view, for example (a house with a nice view being one of the quintessential signs of social status, all the more so because having a nice view is “useless”). Marion’s tone seems dismissive and even derisive, and the Hopcrofts seem embarrassed and intimidated by their wealthier Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi.
SIDNEY: What?
EVA: Did I put that glass in there?
SIDNEY: Er—yes.
EVA: My God, I knew it, I'm going mad. I am finally going mad.
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Eva Jackson, the wife of Geoffrey Jackson, suffers from some kind of mental illness, and has to take pills every three hours in order to stabilize her mood. As a result of her condition, she can be somewhat volatile, and in this scene, she casually throws a glass into a trash can without realizing—only to catch herself a moment later. The strange thing about Eva is that, while she’s ostensibly the only character with a defined mental “problem,” she’s also the only character who seems aware of her own problems, and shows some willingness to get better. By contrast, the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur m
MARION: Oh, that's lovely. Just that teeny bit stronger. You know what I mean. Not too much tonic . . .
SIDNEY: No, well . . .
MARION: Perfect.
SIDNEY: Actually, that's neat gin, that is.
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Marion complains that her gin and tonic doesn’t have enough tonic (in fact, it doesn’t have any). Then, Sidney goes to find some tonic water to add to her beverage. A moment later, he returns to Marion, without having done anything to the drink. Marion sips the drink and claims that it now has the perfect amount of tonic water in it. The exchange isn’t just a perfect example of the “placebo effect.” It’s also a sign that the characters are out of touch with reality. The mere power of suggestion—the fact that Marion thinks Sidney has added tonic to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provi
RONALD: Ah. Well, as long as you know about him. Might have been after your silver. I mean, you never know. Not these days.
SIDNEY : No, indeed. No, he—he was from the off-licence.
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Jane goes out to buy tonic waters and, through a series of farcical mishaps, winds up having to trudge through the front door in a soaking wet raincoat, leading Ronald to believe that a strange little man has intruded on the Hopcrofts’ party. When he points this out to Sidney, Sidney improvises and claims that the “man” was really a deliveryman from the shop around the corner, a lie that Ronald finds perfectly plausible. First, note that Ronald obviously doesn’t know either of his hosts too well, or he would’ve recognized Jane when she was wearing her husband’s raincoat. Second, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae
GEOFFREY: Oh now, come off it. Nonsense. She chooses to live with me, she lives by my rules. I mean we've always made that perfectly clear. She lives her life to a certain extent; I live mine, do what I like within reason. It's the only way to do it...
SIDNEY: Good gracious.
RONALD: I wish you'd have a chat with Marion. Convince her.
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Geoffrey Jackson, another one of the guests at the Hopcrofts’ party, is a charismatic, handsome man who likes to brag to his male friends about his sexual conquests. In oblique terms, Geoffrey suggests that he cheats on his wife all the time, but adds that she’s learned to “play by his rules.” In other words, Geoffrey uses adultery to assert his authority over Eva: he’s the “king of the castle,” and Eva has to support him in whatever he does. The passage is a grating, satirical example of “guy talk.” The three male characters crack little jokes about adultery, at Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequu
SIDNEY: These people just weren't anybody. They are people in the future who can be very, very useful to us...
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After the guests have left, Sidney and Jane discuss their party. Sidney makes it clear how he feels about things: he thinks the party was a great success because he was able to convince Ronald to give him a bank loan. Sidney doesn’t really think of his party guests as intrinsically valuable human beings; instead, he sees them as “useful,” because of what they can do for him. Therefore, a guest like Ronald is someone who he respects and admires, whereas a guest like Dick Potter is someone he doesn’t care about impressing. Sidney doesn’t even seem to care about Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaec
Act Two Quotes
GEOFFREY: Yes, I know. You’re very anxious, aren't you, that I should go and work for the up and coming Mr. Hopcroft? So is up and coming Mr. Hopcroft.
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As Act Two begins, one year has gone by since the last Christmas party, and things have changed. Sidney, first encountered as a pathetic, struggling businessman (in some vaguely defined field), is now a successful businessman (his jobs has something to do with real estate, but Ayckbourn says almost nothing more about it). Geoffrey Jackson, who in Act One comes across as a cocky, ambitious young architect, is now a cynical, prematurely jaded fellow, who clearly envies Sidney for his sudden success. In the turbulent world of the 1970s middle class, Ayckbourn suggests throughout the play, fortunes are always rising Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati.
JANE: Shall I tell you something—Sidney would get so angry if he heard me saying this—but I'd far sooner be down here on the floor, on my knees in the oven—than out there, talking. Isn't that terrible. But I’m never at ease, really, at parties. I don't enjoy drinking, you see.
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In this rare moment of candor from Jane Hopcroft, she admits that she doesn’t enjoy drinking or going to parties. This is interesting, since we first met Jane when she was about to host a Christmas party. In many ways, Jane is the most sympathetic character in the play. She doesn’t really buy in to the culture of drinking and shallow conversation that Ayckbourn satirized in Act One (and continues to satirize now). And her desire to find happiness in the act of cleaning, while somewhat pathetic, is also rather poignant. However, whatever sincerity and openness one finds in Jane’s Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accu
SIDNEY: Now. I'll give you a little tip, if you like. You’ll never get a sink unblocked that way.
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After Jane begins scrubbing Eva’s oven, her husband Sidney walks into the room. Noticing that Eva is bending over the sink (she’s dropped the sleeping pills on which she is trying to overdose), Sidney wrongly assumes that Eva is trying to repair her sink. Just like his wife, Sidney is so used to thinking about household appliances (mostly as status symbols) that he can’t see the blatant truth; Eva is trying to end her life. When Sidney begins repairing Eva’s sink, the play becomes more savagely funny and satirical. Act One of the play, while hyperbolic in some ways, was Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo min
RONALD: Had a good year. Must be pretty pleased.
SIDNEY: Oh, yes. Had a few lucky hunches. Seemed to pay off.
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In this scene, Sidney and Ronald talk about Sidney’s recent successes as a businessman. However, because Sidney’s exact profession is almost unknown to the audience, their conversation is confusing. Sidney doesn’t even talk about what business deals, in particular, have left him so much better off than he was a year ago. Instead, he just says that he’s had some lucky hunches. The word “lucky” is important, since Sidney’s good fortune as a businessman seems unrelated to his talent or ambition. Sidney hasn’t earned success for himself—just as he suggests here, he’s just been lucky. Success “happened” to him; he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus.
SIDNEY: Don't do that! Don't do that! It's too late for that. Look at this shirt. This is a new shirt.
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Sidney has been busily repairing Eva’s pipes (even though she hasn’t asked him to do anything of the kind, and in fact hasn’t spoken at all). Then Jane accidentally runs the faucets, spilling dirty water all over Sidney’s new shirt. Sidney becomes surprisingly angry when this happens—he yells that his shirt has been permanently ruined (although one would think that he could just throw it in his washing machine). But the fact that Sidney would become so angry about a shirt suggests that, in the year between Act One and Act Two, he’s become even more selfishly materialistic, and even Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Ap
Act Three Quotes
EVA: Darling, I hate to remind you but ever since the ceiling of the Harrison building caved in and nearly killed the Manager, Sidney Hopcroft is about your only hope of surviving as an architect in this city.
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In this expository line of dialogue, it’s revealed that Geoffrey Jackson’s career is in crisis. He designed and built a shopping complex, but the building collapsed, nearly killing a few people. Now, nobody in town will hire Geoffrey, with the possible exception of Sidney Hopcroft, a man who, as we’ve seen already, Geoffrey despises. As was the case in Act Two, it’s unclear why Geoffrey’s fortunes have plummeted. We’re given so little information about the collapse of the shopping complex that it’s impossible to tell if the collapse was a product of Geoffrey’s carelessness, or just an unrelated mistake. More Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam elige
MARION: Why don't you just go in the hall and shout "Go away" through the letter-box?
RONALD: Because he happens to have a very large deposit account with my bank.
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The Hopcrofts have arrived at the Brewster-Wrights’ house, and now they’re trying to get in. Nobody inside wants to see the Hopcrofts; they seem to find them annoying. Furthermore, neither Geoffrey nor Ronald wants to talk to Sidney Hopcroft, who’s become increasingly successful over the last two years. Their envy for Sidney’s financial success is palpable. But at the same time, Sidney’s financial success is the only reason that Ronald doesn’t tell Sidney to go away; he needs Sidney’s business at his bank, which, we’ve already heard, is on the verge of going under. So because Ronald is so financially Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor
SIDNEY: That's it. Dance. Come on. Dance. Dance. Come on. Dance. Dance. Dance. Keep dancing. Dance . . .
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The play ends with a funny yet disturbing image of the characters playing a humiliating game. According to the rules of the game, the characters must dance, and then stop at the same time that the music stops. The last person to be caught dancing must accept a “forfeit,” i..e., must carry an object that makes it harder for them to continue dancing. None of the characters wants to play this game. But because Sidney (who’s tried and failed to introduce party games in each of the last two acts) is now such a powerful businessman, the characters feel that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti s
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Sidney Hopcroft Character Timeline in Absurd Person Singular
The timeline below shows where the character Sidney Hopcroft appears in Absurd Person Singular. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act One
The play begins “last Christmas” in the kitchen of the suburban home of Sidney Hopcroft and Jane Hopcroft, both in their thirties. Their home is modest, but it has...
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As Jane scrubs, Sidney notes that he has “a few games lined up .... just in case.” He also...
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Sidney asks Jane for a “Christmas kiss,” but Jane instead says that Sidney’s tie smells like...
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Sidney ducks back into the kitchen, where Jane is still spraying. Jane remembers that she’s been...
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Jane and Sidney leave the kitchen, and the sound of laughter and conversation from offstage fills the kitchen....
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A moment later, Jane, Sidney, and Ronald Brewster-Wright—a man in his mid-forties who is “impressive without being distinguished”—burst into the...
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...things” and then shut and forgotten about. Marion also notices the washing machine, which was Sidney’s Christmas present to Jane. She notices the dial that reads, “Whites-coloreds” and jokes, “it’s apartheid,”...
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The doorbell rings, and Jane leaves the room to greet the guests. Marion asks Sidney, who she calls “Mr. Hopcraft,” how he managed to “squeeze” the washing machine into the...
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Sidney returns to the kitchen to summon the Brewster-Wrights into the drawing room. Marion tells him,...
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Jane and Sidney continue looking for the tonic water, and Sidney complains that she’s “let us down” by...
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Sidney returns to the kitchen, carrying Marion’s glass, which needs tonic water. Then, Eva walks in....
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...dog has a habit of sounding the car horn with its nose. As she speaks, Sidney retrieves the glass from the trash. Eva, noticing him, says, “My God was that me?”...
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...it and claims that it’s much better now that it has a little tonic water—however, Sidney points out that it’s pure gin. Marion teases Sidney, “what are you trying to do...
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...She knocks gently, then louder, but nobody hears. She decides to try the front door. Sidney comes back into the kitchen, carrying an empty chip-bowl. He sees the back door, realizes...
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Back in the kitchen, Sidney asks Jane what happened, and Jane explains that she went out for tonic water—Ronald Brewster-Wright...
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...than face her guest. Ronald explains that he just let in a “little short chap.” Sidney hesitates, then says, “He was from the off-license” and brought some tonic water. Ronald and...
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...chance of sanctuary here?” He complains that Dick Potter is telling the women annoying jokes. Sidney claims that Dick is a “fascinating character,” a teacher who works with young people most...
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Suddenly, Jane appears outside the back door. Sidney waves her away, without his guests seeing him. Meanwhile, Ronald asks Geoffrey about a party...
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...into the kitchen and claims that the men have “abandoned” the ladies at the party. Sidney leaves the kitchen. Eva tells Geoffrey that they should get going, since their dog needs...
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Sidney and Ronald, now wearing his overcoat, come back into the kitchen. Marion thanks Sidney and...
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Jane knocks on the back door and Sidney lets her in. Jane is a “sodden mess”—she explains that she stayed outside until all...
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Sidney tells Jane that he’ll watch some television now—since it’s Christmas Eve, there should be something...
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Act Two
...night are really Eva’s friends, not his. One of these is “the up and coming Mr. Hopcroft ,” and Geoffrey has no intention of being polite to him, even though Mr. Hopcroft...
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Sidney enters the room and sees Eva and Jane. He explains that the Brewster-Wrights have arrived....
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Sidney steps out of the room, and Eva finds a piece of rope, climbs up on...
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...to change the bulb and notices that the fitting has been removed, leaving bare wires. Sidney offers to fix the light, and again writes on the back of Eva’s suicide note...
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Sidney checks to make sure the light is turned off, and tells Ronald that it’s safe...
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While Jane, Sidney, and Ronald work, Eva writes yet another suicide note, and then finds a tin of...
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Sidney suggests that the guests play a party game. Just then, Ronald drops a small “thing”...
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...sink, and when she turns on the sink, water drips down the pipe and onto Sidney, who’s still underneath the sink. Sidney, irritated, tells Marion that she’s ruined a new shirt,...
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...of Christmas.” After each verse, a guest joins in—first Marion, then Jane, then Ronald, then Sidney. In the distance George barks. Suddenly, Geoffrey walks in. He’s astounded by the sound of...
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Act Three
...leaving Eva to do all his typing. Eva also suggests that Geoffrey reach out to Sidney Hopcroft, but Geoffrey refuses to get involved in his “seedy little schemes.” Eva replies that...
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Sidney opens the back door, even though Jane tells him not to. He shoots back, “I...
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Ronald offers Sidney and Jane drinks, and Sidney mentions that he’s just come from Walter Harrison’s party. He...
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Jane offers Ronald and Marion their presents, which they open, confused. Jane and Sidney explain that the presents are a set of electrical screwdrivers for Ronald and a bottle...
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Ronald tells Sidney and Jane, “You’ll have to excuse us if we’re not our usual cheery selves.” However,...
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Sidney and Jane tell the others, “We’re going to get you all jumping about.” Sidney proceeds...
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Sidney explains that they’ll be playing a game called Musical Dancing. The point of the game...
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The game begins, and everyone but Jane and Sidney begins dancing. Marion dances in a shaky “classical ballet style,” while the others dance “sheepishly...
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The game proceeds, with the characters “accumulating bizarre appendages.” Eventually, Sidney no longer stops the music at all: he just yells out, “Dance. Dance. Dance. Keep...
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