ebunk's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
arilaurel's review against another edition
2.0
Are the straights OK? Not when they are LARPing the 1950s for the last three years of their adult lives, they aren't. Last year I went out of my comfort zone away from prose and read a book of poetry. So I decided to try again this year and find a play. What I got was this absurd tale about a broken marriage covered up with perfectly piped icing. Other reviews have said Laura Wade's dialogue is naturalistic. Not being English, I have no idea if that's true, but that didn't stop me and my partner from affecting English accents as we read the lines to each other, some of them awful and reactionary. I did find myself laughing a lot, but only because one of the lead characters is so terrible and delusional. The way she wears a fur stole to meet her husband's boss, feeds her guests crudités and old fashioneds, her total inability to read the room through -- let's call it what it is -- her fetish (it's a fetish, and I'm kink shaming) for a romanticized 50s middle class lifestyle. Wade does provide a bit of humanity to her character Judy, but maybe other people would connect with her a little bit better. I think Home, I'm Darling, however, definitely does provide a glimpse into the fears and fixations of reactionaries who cling to tradition (deny climate change, deny COVID, Qanon, etc.), and while it doesn't land on any particularly revolutionary conclusion, the play is filled with irony and humor and is a fast, entertaining read.
vha's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.0
amyashcroft's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jonathan_daley's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve wanted to read this play for a long time, admittedly because it has an intriguing title! It certainly did not disappoint and the text lived up to the truly original set up. Very enjoyable!
readbylis's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
i had to read this for school and i hated it. it was boring to read and even though the message behind it is important, it felt shallow