Word: grim
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...play isn't completely grim. The celebrated Simon wit constantly bubbles forth, especially during a sub-plot that involves the hero's brother and the heroine's best girlfriend. In contrast to the hasty marriage of the principals, this couple never quite gets around to having an affair, despite persistent efforts. But even this comic relief contains solemn undertones; both would-be adulterers carry wounds that neither can successfully hide from the other...
Happily, Chapter Two is not quite as grim as its plot: characteristic Simon wit surfaces frequently. For instance, when George accuses Leo of fixing him up with a prostitute, his brother indignantly defends the girl, and then asks. "Why, did she charge you?" On the whole, however. Simon avoids his usually relentless parade of quips. Chapter Two possesses none of the slick quality that mars some of his earlier plays, which made his characters sound like professional stand-up comedians, not believable human beings. Instead, the humor approaches the way people actually talk or joke, and even helps to crystallize...
...Khomeini followers. Its best-known name was Foreign Minister Sanjabi, 73, head of the opposition National Front. Also included was Ibrahim Yazdi, 47, a former cancer researcher at Baylor University in Texas, who served as Khomeini's aide-de-camp in Paris; he was given the rather grim title of Deputy Prime Minister for Revolutionary Affairs...
Gold has always had a particular fascination for Old World investors, who have learned from grim experience that wars, revolutions and political strife can demolish less durable forms of investment. In France, the lust for gold remains as strong today as it was nearly two centuries ago when the National Assembly tried to spend its way to prosperity by issuing 400 million units of a paper currency called the assignat. Within five years, 50 billion of the worthless scraps were circulating, gold had jumped 600 times in value, and hoarding proliferated, even though the government made efforts to deal...
...play isn't completely grim. Much of the characteristic Simon with bubbles forth, mostly during a sub-plot that involves the hero's brother and the heroine's girlfriend. In contrast to the hasty marriage of the protagonists, this couple never quite gets around to having an affair, despite persistent efforts. But even this comic-relief interlude contains its solemn overtones; both supporting characters carry wounds that neither can successfully hide from the other...