Author(s): Valerie Martin

Fiction

Set in the world of 1970s Manhatten theatre, The Confessions follows aspiring thesp Edward Day, his friends and associates, as they re-assess ideas of sexuality, duty and gratitude - and the wisdom of living as a jobbing actor. After Edward Day joins fellow actors for a summer weekend on the New Jersey Shore, his life is never the same again. He is saved from drowning by the mysterious Guy Margate, a man with whom he shares both a marked physical resemblance and an implacable attraction to the beautiful, talented, neurotic Madeleine Delavergne. Ever after, in spooky encounters provoked by envy and resentment, Edward is torn between his desire for Madeleine and his indebtedness to the querulous Guy. Professional and personal jealousies come to a head when Edward is cast opposite Madeleine in an acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya, their respective roles painfully mirroring the reality of their personal situations. As the sexual tensions of the play spill over outside the theatre walls, Guy - Edward's reluctant saviour and now Madeleine's husband - makes the ultimate act of protest.