Der Wal - a play by Samuel D. Hunter

After a personal tragedy, former university professor Charlie lives in seclusion, shut away in a small apartment. As an online teacher of argumentative writing, he tries to maintain some connection with the outside world, while pushing ever closer to his physical and emotional limits.

His life is shaped by guilt, loss, and broken relationships - above all with his ex-wife and his daughter Ellie, who suddenly re-enters his life. His only support comes from a nurse and a young missionary, each trying in their own way to reach him.

An essay on Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" runs through the story like a thread, revealing its full significance only at the very end.

"Der Wal" is an intense, moving, and surprisingly funny play about loneliness, forgiveness, and the longing for human connection - one that stays with you well after the curtain falls.