Characters
Lewis
The protagonist of Così, Lewis is a new university graduate who has agreed to direct a play with patients from a mental institution because he required the money. At first, Lewis shares the same values as his friends Nick and Lucy, that love is unimportant due to the ongoing Vietnam War. During the time he spends with the patients however, Lewis experiences a turning point in his understanding and perception of people. By the end of the play, Lewis learns to appreciate love and friendship over war and politics.
Lucy
Girlfriend and roommate of Lewis. She has an affair with Nick who shares similar beliefs – that the Vietnam War protest is more important than anything else. Lucy cannot understand why Lewis is directing a play about love when thousands are dying in the war.
Nick
An experienced student director, roommate and friend of Lewis. He promises to help Lewis with Così Fan Tutte, however quickly he breaks this vow in order to spend time with Lucy. Lewis later discovers that Lucy and Nick are having an affair. Nick is heavily involved in the moratorium, a protest against the Vietnam War.
Doug
A patient who was sent to the mental institution as a result of burning his mother’s cats and home. He is a pyromaniac – someone who gains satisfaction from deliberately starting fires. He appears to light fires quite frequently, once in the theatre toilets and once outside the theatre. He also supports free love and is keen on the potential violence that may transpire at the moratorium.
Roy
A patient who insists on performing Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte even though none of the other patients can sing nor speak Italian. Believing that Lewis is a poor director, Roy takes charge assigning patients to characters in the play. He is quite blunt in expressing his opinions of others.
Henry
A shy patient who rarely speaks and avoids eye contact with others. A former lawyer, he now suffers from a disability with his left arm. However it is shown to be a false disability when he switches his ‘bad arm’ from left to right. He is obedient others, especially Roy. Towards the end of the play however, he overcomes his timidity to defend Lewis.

Cherry
A patient who has an abusive personality and carries a flick knife with her. She has a violent relationship with Doug, as she is always ordering him to ‘go burn a cat.’ She is overprotective of Lewis, with whom she has a crush. As a form of affection, she is constantly feeding him with food in order to ‘fatten’ him up.
Julie
A patient addicted to illicit drugs. She is Lewis’ love interest in the play and is a catalyst for Lewis and Lucy’s deteriorating relationship. She believes that men have double standards, since females are routinely targeted for their infidelity while men are also unfaithful to their partners. It is revealed after her affair with Lewis that she is involved in a relationship.
Ruth
A patient suffering from an obsessive disorder. Throughout the play, she focuses on minor issues such as having real or fake coffee on set, and the number of steps she needs to take to reach her position on stage.
Zac
A catatonic patient who takes the part of musician for Così Fan Tutte. He prefers to play Wagner over Mozart, which sparks a dispute between himself and Roy.
Justin
A social worker who organised the patients from the mental institution to be a part of the theatre project. He is patronising towards the patients and represents society's view on the mentally ill.