Reviews

The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman

daydreamsonpaper's review

challenging reflective tense medium-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

4.0

ashkitty93's review against another edition

5.0

I had no idea what I was getting into with this. The only thing I knew about it was that Cynthia Nixon won the 2017 Tony for best actress in a play for the revival. After reading the play, I found out Cynthia and Laura Linney actually alternated roles between Regina and Birdy, which I think would be fascinating to see.

The story here is excellently crafted and doesn't use too many words to say its piece. I do have to disagree with the blurb though; if anyone comes out of this play the "winner", it's Alexandra.

manel's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

2.5

joypouros's review

dark tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

2.0

This didn't age well, as it takes place in 1900. And since the plot could easily be minorly changed to be less racist, it just wasn't a great setting. 

A family has a chance to make a new profitable business investment, but they are short 80k. The sister's husband refuses to put up the amount. 

And the whole play is them arguing, bartering, and cheating each other over the share of the new venture. 

The black characters are minor and the n slur is used several times in chit chat. 

And the plot is just meh. There's potential in the ending, but it's a shame it is most interesting in act three and then it ends. 

hpuphd's review against another edition

5.0

Revived on Broadway in 2017, this 1939 play starts slowly but becomes enormously powerful in Acts Two and Three as the scheming and evil of the Hubbard family leads to some memorable confrontations. I listened to the L.A. Theatreworks performance on audio (good but maybe not one of their best) while I followed with the text. Exposing the lifelong contempt some family members hold for others, the cruelty it can lead to, and the suggestion that the Hubbards are no different from anyone else is horrible and fascinating. It is haunting to hear Birdie’s Act Three speech to her niece imploring her not even to love her because twenty years later she’ll be like her (“In twenty-two years I’ve never had a whole day of happiness”).

insanebookperson's review

dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, and Terminal illness

blazenaat's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

voodoomary's review

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

heatherdanskin's review

slow-paced

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

2.0

jezziebelle's review

3.0

For context, I read this play as part of a collection of various Lillian Hellman plays. 'The Children's Hour' is the reason I picked it up, but this is the play that has made me happy I did. Once again, I curse Goodreads due to lack of half-stars; this is a 3.5 star play. It exceeded my expectations, especially since it came after 'Days to Come', a completely lackluster piece. After I'd finished 'Foxes', I caught myself wishing it was longer because I really would have loved to find out how Alexandra, Birdie, and Leo turned out. Being stuck in a family like the Hubbard family must surely be hell to escape from. Even poor Leo, who grew so desperate to gain his family's approval so much so that he'd steal from his own boss and uncle deserved something better in my opinion. What struck me about this the most is this is how I expected an Oscar Wilde piece to play out. Yes his work is all very witty, but every play I've read of his is based around the exact same joke, over and over, while 'Foxes' manages to be both witty and poignant. With Wilde, the wit was more or less used for comedic purposes only. It was witty for the sake of being witty so every snarky, sarcastic, clever word fell flat for me because there was no substance to it in regards to the plot of the play. In fact, half the time I found Wilde would have characters go on and on without them really saying anything at all. In 'Foxes', wit served a purpose and drove the plot forward while also being entertaining, so this play delivered for me what I had hoped other, more notable, playwrights could not. I'd never even heard of Lillian Hellman until I read the synopsis for 'The Children's Hour' randomly on Goodreads. I could only get ahold of that play by borrowing a book of collected plays from my library. Now I'm happy I kept reading after I'd finished the play I picked it up for. This isn't the best play I've ever read, but it's the best play I've ever read that I've picked randomly. I could see the ending coming, but the characters were so well written I didn't care that I saw the 'twist' coming a mile away. Hellman writes her characters superbly, even if the story she places them in can't hold up. I hope the collection doesn't go downhill from here, because I'm finally starting to enjoy this!