Word: playwrightes
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...into tears. There's nothing extraordinary about such an action-except that the play is by Neil Simon, from whom we expect snappy one-liners in the first five minutes, not sobs. But this play, currently running in Boston, reveals the voice of a more serious Simon. While the playwright's characters usually deal with the little frustrations that daily bug us all, Chapter II's protagonist faces a much more catastrophic upheaval--the death of a beloved spouse...
...cannot reconcile his love for his new wife with his memory of the deceased one. The fact that she understands his compulsive comparison of spouses only provokes his anger. "You leave me so much room to be cruel in," he tells her. Out of a painful episode in the playwright's life evolves a broader study of a marriage trapped in a vicious cycle of guilt that inspires pain, which in turn yields compassion--only to create new guilt...
...this show, designed everything to foster a sense of isolation in the audience, bringing them into the experience of the plays. She intentionally contrasted the absurdist drama of Beckett with that of Myrna Lamb, less known for theater than feminism. Unfortunately, in this production, the feminist succeeded where the playwright failed...
...Simon considers himself primarily a playwright. Even while he rejoices over the young and diverse audiences his films can reach, one senses that his first allegience lies in the theater. The stage gives him a special thrill; a play represents a "love affair that ends on opening night." But that affair almost always has a happy ending. "One of my greatest joys," he declares, "is to stand in the back of a theater and hear the audience laugh...
...therein lies the problem. Obviously, George cannot deny his first wife's existence. The fact that his new wife understands his compulsive comparison of spouses only provokes his anger. "You leave me so much room to be cruel in," he tells her. Out of a painful episode in the playwright's life evolves a broader study of a marriage trapped in a vicious cycle of guilt that inspires pain which in turn yields forgiveness, only to create new guilt...