Hey! I got another play read today. The one posted earlier today I actually finished last night, 8/11/14. This one I read on 8/12/14 and may actually post that same day. This is fun!
Today's play is called That Summer-That Fall by Frank D. Gilroy. Mr. Gilroy won a Pulitzer prize for his earlier play, The Subject Was Roses. This play was written in 1966 and was apparently controversial when it was presented on Broadway in 1967. How strange that what was controversial then is so utterly tame today. It is a short, brittle, emotionally tense play.
The play is comprised of 13 short scenes with an act break after scene 8. It has five characters, the Capuano's, an Italian family from New York, Angelina and Victor, Angelina's aunt Zia, a neighborhood girl, Josie, and Victor's estranged son, Steven. Angelina has been unhappily married to Victor for some time. He is a successful restaurateur. She sees a beautiful young man in the park and falls in love with him or perhaps just lust; it's hard to tell exactly. He turns out to be Steven the son of victor and a woman from his past. He has shown up looking for his father. They had never met before. Victor is totally taken with him and invites him to stay for the summer: That Summer.
As the play progresses, dirty laundry is aired but never made clean and the play ends sadly. Exactly what is or was controversial about the play is unclear to me. One could get the impression that Steven might be gay, but if so, it is couched in the most successful camouflage I've encountered. There are a number of very good charged moments and the characters are very well drawn. They manage to be multifaceted and likable at the same time, a rare feat. The one character who remains a bit of a cipher is Steven. It is unclear exactly why he wanted to meet his father or whether he feels the same desire for Angelina.
There is a strong, almost melodramatic finish that, ultimately I think, undercuts the emotional virility of the piece. Apparently it was not as successful as his earlier play as it only ran for 12 performances of Broadway. Interesting side note, A very young and beautiful Jon Voight and Tyne Daley were in the original cast.
How soon will the next one be?
Today's play is called That Summer-That Fall by Frank D. Gilroy. Mr. Gilroy won a Pulitzer prize for his earlier play, The Subject Was Roses. This play was written in 1966 and was apparently controversial when it was presented on Broadway in 1967. How strange that what was controversial then is so utterly tame today. It is a short, brittle, emotionally tense play.
The play is comprised of 13 short scenes with an act break after scene 8. It has five characters, the Capuano's, an Italian family from New York, Angelina and Victor, Angelina's aunt Zia, a neighborhood girl, Josie, and Victor's estranged son, Steven. Angelina has been unhappily married to Victor for some time. He is a successful restaurateur. She sees a beautiful young man in the park and falls in love with him or perhaps just lust; it's hard to tell exactly. He turns out to be Steven the son of victor and a woman from his past. He has shown up looking for his father. They had never met before. Victor is totally taken with him and invites him to stay for the summer: That Summer.
As the play progresses, dirty laundry is aired but never made clean and the play ends sadly. Exactly what is or was controversial about the play is unclear to me. One could get the impression that Steven might be gay, but if so, it is couched in the most successful camouflage I've encountered. There are a number of very good charged moments and the characters are very well drawn. They manage to be multifaceted and likable at the same time, a rare feat. The one character who remains a bit of a cipher is Steven. It is unclear exactly why he wanted to meet his father or whether he feels the same desire for Angelina.
There is a strong, almost melodramatic finish that, ultimately I think, undercuts the emotional virility of the piece. Apparently it was not as successful as his earlier play as it only ran for 12 performances of Broadway. Interesting side note, A very young and beautiful Jon Voight and Tyne Daley were in the original cast.
How soon will the next one be?
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