Reviews

I feel like this is the play version of a thriller in the novel world: it’s fun while you’re reading it but probably won’t make much of an impression in the long run except for that final plot twist.

Content Warnings

semiiii's review against another edition

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4.0

My only real complaint about this play is how preachy it is. The concepts it discusses are really beautiful and profound, but it felt like sermon after sermon. Definitely made me think about my own moral compass and about which side I would take in such a situation.

jessrock's review against another edition

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4.0

I enjoyed this play about a daughter coming home to California to visit her family for the first time in six years. She's a novelist living on Long Island, and her family has been looking forward to reading her new book - until they find out she's written a memoir about her family and especially her older brother, who died by suicide when she was still in school.

Her parents are staunch Republicans and friends of the Reagans; she and her younger brother can't stand their parents' politics. There's both love and antipathy between all four of them, as well as between the mother and her recently sober sister who has come to live with them. I liked that the relationships were complex; you could see the characters struggle between building bridges and burning them.

jerefi's review against another edition

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4.0

Up for the Pulitzer? I can see why. It is one of the better plays I have read in a long while. I got chills reading it. I am so glad they are producing this at the Goodman next season.

lindsayw's review against another edition

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4.0

Turns out I'm all plays, all the time so far this year. This is a good one. It of course relies on being well-cast to deliver the drama, but Baitz does a good job capturing family dynamics and the tensions of having different political views. Well-written and compelling.

parfait52's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just absolutely adore this show. I don't think it's super complicated, but the characters are so nuanced and believable that it doesn't matter to me. I thought the dialogue was richly written in the way that compelling family-centered drama should be written. It's also very much a product of it's time. It's very interesting to see how these dynamics were playing out in the early 2000's and how they compare to today. If you're wanting to read non-problematic characters who do no wrong, this is not the play for you. Once again, probably one of my favorite plays I've ever read, and I hope I get to see a fantastic adaptation of it one day.

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marcelene's review

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dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

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