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_leejohnston's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
bennought's review against another edition
4.0
One of Mamet's earliest plays, this is a fantastic proetical work exploring the shenanigans of three deadbeat Chicagoans who are planning a small-time theft of a Buffalo nickel. Loved the production I saw of it at Steppenwolf in the winter of 2010-11, jumped at the opportunity to get a copy off of Bookmooch and experience it as a piece of literature instead. Mamet's dialogue is both disturbingly natural, and unnaturally lyrical at the same time.
joshuamt's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read this after seeing the final scene performed in an acting class. Mamet's writing makes me appreciate even more the actors who perform his work. When done well, it works powerfully in performance, but for me reading the script took effort... I often had to speak lines aloud in order to understand what was being conveyed. Which makes sense, as this is a script, not a book.
The plot itself is a heist that doesnt happen. With the most interesting characters (Fletcher, the customer) only being talked about. Mamet shows that even early in his career he was a master of more by less.
The plot itself is a heist that doesnt happen. With the most interesting characters (Fletcher, the customer) only being talked about. Mamet shows that even early in his career he was a master of more by less.
terrancecrs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.5
dkrane's review against another edition
5.0
Didn’t expect to like it. But it’s a lean, mean, tense thriller.
All about the money.
All about the money.
nickdouglas's review against another edition
4.0
Three stars personally, not as a work of literature. It's got the cadence I like, but I'm still trying to find some Mamet as horrifically relatable to me as "Speed-the-Plow" (which I hope is one day revealed as the inspiration for "Peep Show").
christynhoover's review against another edition
challenging
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Listened to it while cooking so it didn't have my undivided attention.
I read this play when it was first published in 1975 and liked it or found it meaningful --which is what drew me to listening to this L.A. Theatre Works production tonight.
The characters are "challenging" at best.
I think I need to READ the play again to appreciate it and see if I still "like" it!
I read this play when it was first published in 1975 and liked it or found it meaningful --which is what drew me to listening to this L.A. Theatre Works production tonight.
The characters are "challenging" at best.
I think I need to READ the play again to appreciate it and see if I still "like" it!
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Violence, and Toxic friendship