Lanford Wilson (1937–2011)

A strange and haunting story that manages to compel me toward it even while repelling me. It's another entry in the woman leaves the sane and steady (but boring) man she is dating for the insecure and unstable man who wanders into her apartment one night and sharing his rather obnoxious philosophy of life with her. An undercurrent of homophobia in this character adds to the overall repulsion factor that actually seems to draw her closer to him in spite of herself. I really don't know what to show more make of this. It would be difficult to say I actually like it, since the characters are not pleasant or agreeable, but it is well written and compelling. show less

A play about the nuclear bomb testing in Los Alamos in the waning days of WWII. The characters are employed by the government, and are having a drink on the night of the testing, as they wait for their ride to the site. The discussion grows more philosophical, discussing life and death, war, and Native American spirituality. The concept of scientific ethics is explored in detail as the scientists debate the uses the government might find for their invention. They are aware that the show more government wants to use the bomb to end the war, and that Einstein has urged the president not to drop it on any cities (and been ignored); they still try to convince themselves that the government won't actually drop it on any inhabited areas, and that they are just going to prove that it won't actually work. Nothing they say on that count sounds convincing, probably because they are not convinced themselves. I have read so many anti-nuke plays recently, I didn't think this one could give me anything new, but the aspect of the Native American angle did give it a different feel; it was a different angle for a discussion that runs the risk of becoming trite in the telling and retelling. show less

An interesting slice of middle-20th century drama that captures the feel of the time (at least in terms of what was happening in theatre). It dispenses with elaborate sets, strips much of the dialogue down to bare bones, and addresses social issues earnestly. In spite of all that, it was enjoyable and well written. Rimers is the only full length play in the collection, so it reads quickly, in just a couple of hours for an average reader. It can get difficult to follow at times unless you show more create a flow chart of who is where and why and with whom (something I chose not to do) because his characters often speak at once, holding multiple conversations on separate parts of the stage, and time and place bleed together so that a character in one scene speaking with one person will suddenly appear in another scene speaking to someone else. Time is non-linear, which can also make it difficult to follow at times, but if you persevere, it will be worth your effort. show less

Sort of refreshing in a science play, this one is about archeology. The archeologists are excavating mounds left behind by the early inhabitants of North America, but nothing is going in their favor. The play itself is as much about human relationships as it is about archeology, and as is usual in these sorts of plays, the scientist has a wife who feels put upon, but is herself about as useless as anyone can be. She is selfish and hedonistic, and in a refreshing change for a science play, is show more not presented as being poorly treated by her husband in any major way. She is simply not a good match for him. Overall, a decent work that shows fairly well the difficulties that science has to contend with, even though there is a frustrating undercurrent of sympathy for the anti-science view of some of the local population. show less