The manic genius of the author is in full show here, though spotty at times. Some jokes just plain fall flat, and some acts fail to hit home. In spite of that, it is always a pleasure to read something so different from the standard fare that is offered up by playwrights fully trained in the "rules" of theatre and unwilling to break them. Breaking rules is what Durang is all about. And while I make it a habit not to read the introductory material or afterwords in a book of plays, preferring to let the plays stand by themselves, I do read the notes that are written by Christopher Durang. These are not skippable; skipping his notes should be subject to severe penalty, as he has a way of writing even instructions that is uplifting. In fact, these particular notes addressed an issue I have been struggling with myself as a playwright, and knowing that Durang went through that and came through on the other side (probably not entirely unscathed, but still standing) gives me strength. So read the plays, read the notes, and enjoy. ( )

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