Reviews

August: Osage County by Tracy Letts

cassie_happened's review

3.0

*Read for a College Course

corrinpierce's review

3.0

Plenty of meaty family dysfunction, but missing the solid foundation of Killer Joe and Superior Donuts. Still worth reading.

itbeblu's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

nick_jenkins's review

5.0

Indelible characters, dialogue that truly stings.

shanviolinlove's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely adore August: Osage County, in all its forms. A few years ago I saw it performed live by a local theater company, and then when the film came out starring Meryl Streep, I saw it multiple times. Reading the words on the pages brings forth these characters into tangible dimensions. I have never experienced a play like this before, and I cannot recommend it enough.

chancekraborty's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

poachedeggs's review

4.0

Good memories of a completely wacky family drama that I watched in NYC with Emily and Brad in 2008. There are some beautiful lines here. The only quibble I have is with a

Spoiler

somewhat overdramatic explanation of the actual relationship between two relatives

, which reminded me of how some soap operas do it... but perhaps the over-the-top nature of the disclosure was the point?

Nothing can quite get under our skin as much as family, and Letts played on this theme to the hilt.

a_little_shelf_absorbed's review against another edition

5.0

Gut wrenching plot twists in almost every scene, excellent character development in a short number of pages, and a powerfully wrought family dynamic that falls to pieces. EVERYTHING I look for in a piece of writing.

cantordustbunnies's review

4.0

A hideously impactful play which is just a little too melodramatic to take too seriously. It's definitely a good play along the lines of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Interiors, or Long Day's Journey Into Night but the characters are so mean to each other and the family is so dysfunctional that it veers more towards the ridiculous rather than the hauntingly tragic. Perhaps the ridiculous quality falls in line with the author's intention of it being more of a dark comedy, but if this is the case I would consider a sense of humor like that to be downright psychopathic. To a person like me though, that just makes the play more interesting. There were enough genuinely gut-wrenching scenes to give it a high place among intense family dramas. It's very good, but I personally didn't enjoy the "perversely comedic soap opera", over-the-top aspect of it.

b0avalos's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0