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grace_theliteraryfiend's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ellacgoose1's review
2.0
a friend of mine watched the film adaption of this play yesterday which prompted me to read the play. my friend included the following quote in his review which i happened to like as well -
"harvey and i sit in the bars and we have a drink or two and play the jukebox. soon the faces of other people turn toward mine and smile. they are saying "we don't know your name, mister, but you're a lovely fellow." harvey and i warm ourselves in all these golden moments. we have entered as strangers - soon we have friends. they come over. they sit with us. they drink with us. they talk to us. they tell about the big terrible things they have done. the big wonderful things they will do. their hopes, their regrets, their loves, their hates. all very large because nobody ever brings anything small into a bar. i introduce them to harvey. and he is bigger and grander than anything they offer me. when they leave, they leave impressed. the same people seldom come back - but that's envy, my dear. there's a little bit of envy in the best of us - too bad, isn't it?"
"harvey and i sit in the bars and we have a drink or two and play the jukebox. soon the faces of other people turn toward mine and smile. they are saying "we don't know your name, mister, but you're a lovely fellow." harvey and i warm ourselves in all these golden moments. we have entered as strangers - soon we have friends. they come over. they sit with us. they drink with us. they talk to us. they tell about the big terrible things they have done. the big wonderful things they will do. their hopes, their regrets, their loves, their hates. all very large because nobody ever brings anything small into a bar. i introduce them to harvey. and he is bigger and grander than anything they offer me. when they leave, they leave impressed. the same people seldom come back - but that's envy, my dear. there's a little bit of envy in the best of us - too bad, isn't it?"
casspro's review
5.0
Probably my favorite sentimental plays. I played Aunt Ethel Chauvenet in the 11th grade and felt like my cast mates were really my family. Its a feel good play--there's few other words that do it justice.
elementalmoon's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Reading plays is always an interesting task. While the text is amusing and a fun read, it also presented its own challenges. Particularly with the amount of stage direction present within the text which, while at times necessary to the story telling, was also at times distracting.
lucidstyle's review
5.0
Truly enjoyable!
The overt conflict in Harvey is the strained relationship between Elwood and his family, Veta and Myrtle, caused by Elwood's interaction with the invisible pooka, Harvey. Veta and Myrtle believe that Elwood is crazy and should be treated for mental illness. Elwood is oblivious and has no desire to even acknowledge their attitudes: He treats everyone respectfully and in and openly friendly and engaging way. The underlying conflict is alluding to the willingness of society to have people put on airs and pretend to be something they are not, even when such behavior sacrifices common goodness and compassion.
It is also opens for circumspection a look at what [we consider] constitutes mental illness, and how we treat it and those who suffer (not just the person whom we assume to be mentally ill).
The overt conflict in Harvey is the strained relationship between Elwood and his family, Veta and Myrtle, caused by Elwood's interaction with the invisible pooka, Harvey. Veta and Myrtle believe that Elwood is crazy and should be treated for mental illness. Elwood is oblivious and has no desire to even acknowledge their attitudes: He treats everyone respectfully and in and openly friendly and engaging way. The underlying conflict is alluding to the willingness of society to have people put on airs and pretend to be something they are not, even when such behavior sacrifices common goodness and compassion.
It is also opens for circumspection a look at what [we consider] constitutes mental illness, and how we treat it and those who suffer (not just the person whom we assume to be mentally ill).
ermamac's review
3.0
Okay so I went to get a head start on my all school reading only to find that pages 27-42 in my Harvery had been replaced with pages 43-58. So I could read pages 43-58 twice but it would require me to miss a good portion of the first act... Why when I am trying to get a head start on something does the universe put it's foot down?