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15th out of 116 books
—
46 voters
Rabbit Hole
“An intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion and searing honesty . . . an uncommonly affecting and absorbing play.”—Variety
“The sad, sweet release of Rabbit Hole lies precisely in the access it allows to the pain of others. . . . This anatomy of grief [taps] a reservoir of feelings common to anyone who has experienced the vacuum...more
Paperback, 157 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Theatre Communications Group
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So much anticipation when I started out to read this. So many glowing reviews, a Pulitzer Prize, a very good playwright... and I finished it with a sighed, "Eh."
The writing was crisp, clear. THe characters seemed to be real people working through grief in their idividual ways. And that, is what the play is about...how we work through grief, to keep living when a loved one isn't.
Of course the loved one had to be a child. The grief for a child is so much more different than the grief for a parent...more
The writing was crisp, clear. THe characters seemed to be real people working through grief in their idividual ways. And that, is what the play is about...how we work through grief, to keep living when a loved one isn't.
Of course the loved one had to be a child. The grief for a child is so much more different than the grief for a parent...more
The 2007 Pulitzer-winner for Best Drama, this play is a marvelous meditation on grief and the different ways people can cope (or not cope) with their loss. Becca and Howie Corbett lose their four-year-old son in a tragic accident, and the play is a series of scenes in their life eight months later. Howie puts up a façade where he copes with his grief by regularly attending group therapy and trying to move on with his life. We see in one scene, however, when his wife is upstairs, he sneaks out a...more
When I was first thinking of "Rabbit Hole"'s title, I felt that it wasn't really appropriate. But then I realized that when I was thinking about the phrase "down the rabbit hole", I was thinking of some fantastic adventure like one that would be experienced in "Alice In Wonderland". When I thought about it more, I realized that David Lindsay-Abaire's play was probably even more deserving of the phrase than the adventures experienced by Alice. For starters, the rabbit hole in this play is sudden...more
A sad play, consisting of sparsely written dialogue, manages to understatedly convey the range of emotions humans experience when grieving and how different people grieve in different ways. In this story, Howie and Becca are a married couple whose son was killed when he ran out into the street chasing their dog and was struck by a car. The play begins sometime after the accident and casts a lens on how Howie and Becca are coping with their drastically altered lives. There is a supporting cast of...more
A sad, affecting drama of a family coping with the loss of a child to a car accident. Lindsay-Abaire has a tough beam to navigate without mis-steps or wobbles to keep his play clear of being a tear-jerk of a melodrama and he succeeds with grace and skill. Becca and Howie are the husband and wife, struggling with grief and each other. Izzy is Becca’s younger sister, the less reliable and common sensiscal of the two. Nat is Becca and Izzy’s mother, who also lost a son, though as a young adult and...more
Read more reviews like this over at my blog, Living Is Reading!
Since I recently lost my grandfather a little over two months ago, I decided that Rabbit Hole would be an interesting read, and something that I wouldn’t have too much difficulty connecting to. Apparently, I was right in that assumption, since even though this is a short read, it’s still a worthwhile read, and has me interested enough in checking out the movie adaptation starring Nicole Kidman.
Now, plays aren’t my natural reading s...more
Since I recently lost my grandfather a little over two months ago, I decided that Rabbit Hole would be an interesting read, and something that I wouldn’t have too much difficulty connecting to. Apparently, I was right in that assumption, since even though this is a short read, it’s still a worthwhile read, and has me interested enough in checking out the movie adaptation starring Nicole Kidman.
Now, plays aren’t my natural reading s...more
This play EVOKES much sadness and STIMULATES much thinking (how would I act if I was in the scenes of this play). In that way, this play is hugely impactful. This play shows five different perspectives on tragedy (the death of a four year old son) that are fairly different from each other, giving many readers something concrete to latch onto in his/her own thinking. I focused most on husband/wife perspectives (the main perspectives) as I am a husband and a father.
(view spoiler)...more
(view spoiler)...more
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Aching & without resolution.
(Beat)
I'm not sure that this play is really 4 stars for me, but I hesitate to give it less. All plays are meant to be seen on a stage, interpreted by masters of the craft, and this one is hardly an exception--in fact, I think it serves as a perfect example of the rule. The script is sparse, skeletal even. There are a lot of moments in this play where an actor's silence & a or particular look in his or her eyes will bring a subtle meaning to the moment. That t...more
(Beat)
I'm not sure that this play is really 4 stars for me, but I hesitate to give it less. All plays are meant to be seen on a stage, interpreted by masters of the craft, and this one is hardly an exception--in fact, I think it serves as a perfect example of the rule. The script is sparse, skeletal even. There are a lot of moments in this play where an actor's silence & a or particular look in his or her eyes will bring a subtle meaning to the moment. That t...more
I actually really liked the Author's Note at the end, explaining his vision for this play. He wanted it to remain grounded and hopeful without sugar-coating or overly dramatizing the subject matter. But no matter what you do, this play is painful because the subject matter is painful.
The ending was probably the best ending possible.
Favorite Quote:
She said, "I want to be there for you, Nat. I want to share in your grief." And so I said, "Well, it's not working. I seem to have it all to myself...more
The ending was probably the best ending possible.
Favorite Quote:
She said, "I want to be there for you, Nat. I want to share in your grief." And so I said, "Well, it's not working. I seem to have it all to myself...more
I'd give it 3.5 stars. Strong use of dialogue is Lindsay-Abaire's gift. While I admire the difficult topic of bereavement, at times the play feels a little forced, as if the author were checking off a to-do list of the various aspects of grieving so well known to us in the pop psych-educated world of 2010: the child's room kept as a museum display, the help or hindrance of bereavement groups, the stages of anger, social awkwardness of those around the bereaved, etc.
An interesting but maddening...more
An interesting but maddening...more
hmmmm.... I'd have to see this produced well to really gauge its potential. I appreciate that the story handles a sad family without sentimentality but the plot's simplicity left me wanting more.
This play will break your heart, but leave you feeling happy to be human, and fortunate to have your health, the people you love, and normalcy in your life.
The characters in this play are so well written, and the relationships are so real and palpable that your truly believe their journeys and feel empathy for them. It is easy to get lost in the lives of the characters in this play. The dialogue is also nicely worded, and even though most of us have not gone through what the characters in this...more
The characters in this play are so well written, and the relationships are so real and palpable that your truly believe their journeys and feel empathy for them. It is easy to get lost in the lives of the characters in this play. The dialogue is also nicely worded, and even though most of us have not gone through what the characters in this...more
I saw a production of Rabbit Hole at the Pittsburgh Public Theater in 2008. This heart-breaking drama explores a couple's relationship as they deal with the loss of their young son. As a parent, it was so difficult to see and I kept thinking "what if?" which made it even more difficult. There are some other interesting relationships that are explored: one between the wife and her pregnant, irresponsible sister and another between the wife and the teen who was driving the car involved in the acci...more
The storyline is simple and there are no great eruptions to signal the climax of the couple's grief. But that's what I really liked about this play. It takes courage to deal with something as abstract as another person's grief, and certainly something as complicated as grief over the death of a child. I started to read the playwright's note to directors and actors but stopped because its tone seemed self-defensive. A simple plot in the theatre can be moving, and I found this one to be so, and is...more
I liked this a lot. It wasn't what I thought it would be, I was expecting overly emotional characters dealing with the greif of losing a child. Instead I found the charaters believable, and honest. I liked that this was written months after Danny died, so there is some breathing room and the grief isn't quite as painfully raw as it would have been had this taken place before or right after his death. The emotions are raw, and real, but not overly so. I can't wait to see the movie now, but I want...more
I did this backward and watched the movie version of this. It was gut-wrenching, and I felt like I missed out by not seeing the original stage production. I could not help but wonder how the performances differed between the stage and film productions and how they both fit in with the script. This was an incredibly quick, yet emotional read. The characters are relatable in their grief and with how they handle everything. It's harder for me to get into a script (as opposed to a book) so that's wh...more
When I was living in New York, the best thing about my time there was seeing great non-musical plays. Ever since college, I've been heading into the city and going on these whirlwind tours of Broadway musicals, easily packing five shows into one weekend. When I moved there and started working in the industry, I had the opportunity to see LOTS of non-musical shows both on Broadway and off, and I realized how truly fantastic these shows can be. I've always been a fan of theater in any form, but I...more
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meh.
I made a promise to myself to read more plays this year, since I had to audition with two contemporary monologues recently and realized that I was a bit behind in my reading. Well, completely behind. So I got a massive stack of them out of the Harold Washington and started reading, and this is definitely one of the best that I pulled.
I remember this play getting mixed reviews at the Goodman last year, and I'm kind of not surprised. This play is intimate, like Kenneth Lonergan intimate, and it n...more
I remember this play getting mixed reviews at the Goodman last year, and I'm kind of not surprised. This play is intimate, like Kenneth Lonergan intimate, and it n...more
I read the book because I had heard the title elsewhere and, when I saw it at the bookstore, I count resist. I bought it late Thursday afternoon and finishes it Friday night/Saturday morning. I found it to be well-written and often tries to picture how I would be as each of the characters. How would I feel if I lost my child? If someone close to me lost a child
how would I treat them? It's a pretty
Short read (160 pages roughly, written as a play, so super quick read) but a great story.
how would I treat them? It's a pretty
Short read (160 pages roughly, written as a play, so super quick read) but a great story.
As I add this to my list, I'm a bit shocked to realise I watched the movie recently without having any idea I'd seen the play in 2007. I can see that is partly because the movie could muck about the the play, but I rather suspect I must have slept through part of the play.
Redstitch is a tiny theatre, seating about 60 now, but back then maybe 30. One is practically part of the set, sitting in the audience. The cast is very decent about nodding off.
Redstitch is a tiny theatre, seating about 60 now, but back then maybe 30. One is practically part of the set, sitting in the audience. The cast is very decent about nodding off.
I read the play version of this story. So touching, so real. As many times as I've watched the rehearsals for the upcoming production at Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, I can't stop my tears. The interactions of the family and the teenager, between themselves, withinin themselves, are so full of real emotions that I know. Reading the notes to the production, I choose a different "what's happening in the character's heads" at the end.
It's been quite a while since I've read a play. With the movie coming out and already getting nods for an Oscar nomination for Kidman (not one of my favorite actresses by any means but she takes good roles), I thought I'd give it a read. Oh, and it won the Pulitzer.
As with many plays, this simply has to be performed (why teachers think their students can completely appreciate Shakespeare simply by reading him, for instance, has always been beyond me). I think Abaire makes fun work of playing out...more
As with many plays, this simply has to be performed (why teachers think their students can completely appreciate Shakespeare simply by reading him, for instance, has always been beyond me). I think Abaire makes fun work of playing out...more
Well, this was a very quick read! I did enjoy it, even though at first it was tough to get used to the way it was written, since I never read plays, just novels. However, the author was good at making me feel for the characters in their loss, though most scenes I feel would be better if more happened, even though I know this isn't necessarily the goal of the book. Also, not much closure in the end, but again, not the point I think. Regardless, I enjoyed reading this play.
Since this play had such a simple premise I felt that it should have been stronger with its characters and dialog. I have read books/stageplays about grieving parents before, and this piece of work offered nothing original. It relied heavily on cliches and dusty character arcs. The dialog was overly bland and the characters were cardboard. There was not one element of this stageplay I liked.
A pleasant surprise.
I've been reading drama for work, and been astonished at how much BAD drama is out there. It was getting distressed/confused. Maybe I don't know how to read it right? Maybe there are just fewer good artists working in that genre?
But if there are few, Lindsay-Abaire is one of them. The dialogue felt real, the tension submerged but resonant, and lo, I was happy.
I've been reading drama for work, and been astonished at how much BAD drama is out there. It was getting distressed/confused. Maybe I don't know how to read it right? Maybe there are just fewer good artists working in that genre?
But if there are few, Lindsay-Abaire is one of them. The dialogue felt real, the tension submerged but resonant, and lo, I was happy.
I wasn't sure that I would be able to read this book about a couple who lost their boy, but it was good. I enjoyed the humor (yes, humor) of the characters and that everything didn't get wrapped up in a pretty pink bow at the end.
From the book:
My favorite is: "God needed another angel." What is that? He's God! Why can't he just make another angel?...
From the book:
My favorite is: "God needed another angel." What is that? He's God! Why can't he just make another angel?...
A play about a family dealing with the accidental death of a couple's young son.
I read this with my boyfriend and that made this play even more enjoyable for me to read. I mean it is really sad but there was something about reading the play that really let me get in the character's heads. I thought it was a very eloquent picture of how different people deal with grief.
I read this with my boyfriend and that made this play even more enjoyable for me to read. I mean it is really sad but there was something about reading the play that really let me get in the character's heads. I thought it was a very eloquent picture of how different people deal with grief.
I almost gave this four stars because it upset me so much- I went to see a new play by the guy who had written some of the funniest plays of recent memory (Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, and Wonder of the World are all genius) and I was blindsided by how sad this was. That said, it is a beautifully written play and a really good exploration of how people deal with grief.
Every so often I force myself to put down the candy and eat my vegetables; and then I remember why I tend to steer clear of vegetables. This was a well written play that will have you crying your eyes out from beginning to end. If I ever tried to watch the stage performance the ushers would probably throw me out for disturbing everyone else with my blubbering!
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David Lindsay-Abaire is an American playwright and lyricist. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 for his play, Rabbit Hole.
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“So even the most unlikely events have to take place somewhere ...”
—
3 people liked it
“Nat:
I don't know. The weight of it, I guess. At some point it becomes bearable. It turns into something you can crawl out from under. And carry around--like a brick in your pocket. And you forget it every once in a while, but then you reach in for whatever reason and there it is: "Oh right. That." Which can be awful. But not all the time. Sometime's it kinda ... Not that you like it exactly, but it's what you have instead of your son, so you don't wanna let go of it either. So you carry it around. And it doesn't go away, which is ...
Becca:
What?
Nat:
Fine ... actually.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
I don't know. The weight of it, I guess. At some point it becomes bearable. It turns into something you can crawl out from under. And carry around--like a brick in your pocket. And you forget it every once in a while, but then you reach in for whatever reason and there it is: "Oh right. That." Which can be awful. But not all the time. Sometime's it kinda ... Not that you like it exactly, but it's what you have instead of your son, so you don't wanna let go of it either. So you carry it around. And it doesn't go away, which is ...
Becca:
What?
Nat:
Fine ... actually.”
Mar 01, 2011 03:40am