liralen's review
3.0
It came down to Boston Marriage or [b:Private Lives|281326|Private Lives|Noël Coward|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348022449l/281326._SY75_.jpg|1120762] this week (because gad, we needed a comedy, what with having just read [b:Macbeth|8852|Macbeth|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459795224l/8852._SY75_.jpg|1896522] and [b:In the Blood|144251|In the Blood|Suzan-Lori Parks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1449451438l/144251._SY75_.jpg|139173], and what with...well, the state of the world and the state of the States). The people voted, Private Lives won by a hair, and someone said 'Great! Let's do it!'—and found a copy of Boston Marriage instead.
It turns out that a three-character play is not ideal when eight people turn up to read (but if 2020 has taught us anything, it's that nothing's ideal but you have to push on anyway—so basically I cut people, including myself, off every ten minutes so we could switch roles. Table reads, hackjob-style, or table reads, 2020-style? And is there a difference?)
Now...nothing actually happens in the play. A couple of women have some witty and innuendo-filled banter, a third woman is their not terribly willing foil, they snipe and jab at each other because neither can or will admit that she has Feelings (but they both know it; this is clearly not a new conversation for them). The Internet tells me that this was written partly as a response to critics noting that Mamet really didn't write female characters, and...I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm delighted to have lesbian characters, of course, but also a bit...well. This is all he could think of when he opted to write lesbian characters? One of them sleeping with a man, and the other lusting after a possibly underaged girl? (And—is it even a Boston marriage? As far as I could tell they don't live together, though the group was split on that measure.)
Had its moments and brought a much-needed lighter side to 2020's Wednesdays, but I'm not sorry that this was a one-evening play.
It turns out that a three-character play is not ideal when eight people turn up to read (but if 2020 has taught us anything, it's that nothing's ideal but you have to push on anyway—so basically I cut people, including myself, off every ten minutes so we could switch roles. Table reads, hackjob-style, or table reads, 2020-style? And is there a difference?)
Now...nothing actually happens in the play. A couple of women have some witty and innuendo-filled banter, a third woman is their not terribly willing foil, they snipe and jab at each other because neither can or will admit that she has Feelings (but they both know it; this is clearly not a new conversation for them). The Internet tells me that this was written partly as a response to critics noting that Mamet really didn't write female characters, and...I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm delighted to have lesbian characters, of course, but also a bit...well. This is all he could think of when he opted to write lesbian characters? One of them sleeping with a man, and the other lusting after a possibly underaged girl? (And—is it even a Boston marriage? As far as I could tell they don't live together, though the group was split on that measure.)
Had its moments and brought a much-needed lighter side to 2020's Wednesdays, but I'm not sorry that this was a one-evening play.
pedanther's review
challenging
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
stevemcdede's review
4.0
I wanted to give in-between 3 and 4 stars. Mostly brilliant. I was in awe of the dialogue. The ending is weak and I often notice in plays in an effort to keep characters to a minimum that a couple of key characters that are dicussed never show up and would have been great additions. The main characters discuss having a seance with people who don't appear. I think it could have been hilarious if they had. The Irish maid is awesome. Love her comments and how rude the other characters are to her.
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