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matthewwester's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like I've purchased a dozen copies of this play over the years. Somehow, every time, I lend it out to a friend and never see it again. >-< So after getting my most recent copy, I re-read the play (and I still find it one of the best plays ever written), and from now on will probably steer friends towards other books on my shelf. Or, I suppose, I could just purchase them their own copy as a gift. But yeah, it's a great play, definitely worth the read.
gregorykristen02's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
ashkitty93's review
5.0
Okay, so we did Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike at my community theatre a month ago. One of my dearest friends played Cassandra, the crazy/awesome/psychic housekeeper, and halfway through the run the co-props designer brings up Wit. I'd never heard of it but he told me all about how it's basically carried by one actor, the lead woman, whose character is a cancer patient. There are other characters in and out, but she never leaves the stage (no intermission) and has probably 90% of the lines. Apparently they had performed Wit at the theatre in the '90s (first thought: GODDAMMIT I MISSED IT) and Jo (Cassandra) had played Vivian. I was absolutely floored when I found out she'd actually shaved her head for the part, and promised myself I would look it up and read it.
Cut to today: I've had it out from the library for two weeks with absolutely no time to pick it up until now. If I thought I was floored just hearing about this play, that's nothing to what reading it was like. And of course I pictured my beautiful, brilliant Jo with these words coming out of her mouth and was just stunned by the experience of imagining it. This is the kind of thing that makes me wish we recorded our performances. I would give anything to have seen it. As it is, the play itself was astounding.
Cut to today: I've had it out from the library for two weeks with absolutely no time to pick it up until now. If I thought I was floored just hearing about this play, that's nothing to what reading it was like. And of course I pictured my beautiful, brilliant Jo with these words coming out of her mouth and was just stunned by the experience of imagining it. This is the kind of thing that makes me wish we recorded our performances. I would give anything to have seen it. As it is, the play itself was astounding.
trekbicycles's review against another edition
5.0
Very, very few things make me laugh and cry so genuinely. I just want to read and reread and reread again and again.
katy82's review against another edition
2.0
I'm cunfussed about why so many poeple seem to be in love with it. Maybe it's because the main character has cancer? It's not a bad play, it's well written I just didn't much care for it.
I don't remember what it was, but at one point while I was reading something about it struck me and I thought, "This author has never had cancer". Perhaps it was that that ruined the rest of it for me, I don't know. Later I read the author's biography and I was right, she had not had cancer when she wrote the play.
I don't remember what it was, but at one point while I was reading something about it struck me and I thought, "This author has never had cancer". Perhaps it was that that ruined the rest of it for me, I don't know. Later I read the author's biography and I was right, she had not had cancer when she wrote the play.
rschwaar's review against another edition
“It just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. But you can’t face life without it either.”
m_jpeg's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
esztervida's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just so stunning and heartbreaking. Every adaptation I've seen online on this play has been so clever and the Emma Thompson one broke me within 6 minutes of the film.