Jeffrey

by Paul Rudnick

A two act play for 7 males and 1 female. From the publisher's synopsis: "Jeffrey, a gay actor/waiter, has sworn off sex after too many bouts with his partners about what is "safe" and what is not. In gay New York, though, sex is not something you can avoid. Whether catering a ditzy socialite's "how-down for AIDS" or cruising at a funeral; at the gym or in the back rooms of an anonymous sex club; at the annual Gay Pride Parade, or in the libidinous hands of a father-confessor, Jeffrey finds the pursuit of love and just plain old physical gratification to be the number one preoccupation of his times - and the source of plenty of hilarity."

Genres: Plays, LGBT, Theatre, Drama, Queer, Humor, Comedy

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Maura]

Every once in a while I just need to reread this and remember to actually live life not just walk thru it or run from it.

[Alex]

Oh dear! Time has flown by and AIDS has lost its death sentencing meaning. Jeffry is still enjoyable, funny, sad many times and I even dropped a couple or three of tears, but I’m afraid someone in their twenties or thirties will have a problem understanding all the fuss.

Still worth the time spent reading it.

[CJ]

Excellent play. I won't lie...most of what I know of the early 90's AIDS epidemic is from Rent (I know. Shame on me) but this was amazing. Hilarious and heartfelt. I cried. I understand the movie has Patrick Stewart! Awesome!

[Marcus Gorman]

Its humor, while uproarious, obscures much of the more dramatic moments, but until I see this onstage -- or check out the film -- I can't really say for certain.

[Jeff]

Rudnik, as usual, does a masterful job of balancing the sweet and the acerbic.

[Marc]

Some great funny scenes...

[Sam]

3.5?

[Basil]

god ... i expected this to do exactly what it did which was to reduce me to a state of depression and dyshporia and misery of the best kind. there's a very specific tone and style to a lot of AIDS literature (if you can call it that?) and somehow i knew exactly what was going to happen just from reading a one-sentence synopsis. there's a certain doomsday/endtimes sensibility in plays/lit of this period that resonates really deepy with me both bc of the state of the world and also history and also bc i'm in some ways gay and in some ways a man. god!!!! im just gonna be weeping for the rest of my life huh

[Abigail Espinal]

“There is the difference between you and me. In that one word. ‘Someday’. A real luxury item.” A masterclass in both comedy and drama, Paul Rudnick’s Obie-Award winning play is a heartfelt examination of the AIDs epidemic and the way it shaped queer living and sexual exploration. Featuring some of the most outlandish and hilarious characters, locations, and skits I personally have ever read, “Jeffery” is a monumental accomplishment in dramatic theatre, with some of the greatest romantic banter ever put to stage.

[Jessica Hirsh]

"When did despair become enjoyable?...Who does that help? Even Brecht wrote musicals."

This play is definitely almost 30 years old - and has moments that haven't aged particularly well - but holy crap was this good. I sometimes get nervous when I see small casts that double out to 50ish roles, because I worry I'll get confused while reading, but this was so expertly crafted. Laughed and cried. Will never hear Gershwin's "Nice Work if You Can Get It" the same way again.

[Kaethe]

Answering the eternal question: how do you go on in the face of a terrible disease and the ever-present risk of death?


My answer would be "any way you can," but Rudnick's answer is better. And funnier.

Library copy

[sylven]

Excellent. god and sex both, in fact, are a good golden age broadway musical and that one moment when you toss a balloon back and forth. this was hilarious and wonderful and everything a comedy should be

[Nicole]

Reminded me a lot of Pippin funnily enough with an easy humour and a central relationship that could really sparkle.

[Tiffany]

This has a great message but I wish I had more time to feel connected to the characters.

[Jim Stiles]

A little dated but still charming - read this for a pandemic play reading group at Speakeasy. Was fun hearing the original cast, whom I saw lo those many years ago, read lines from it.

[Jason]

A hilarious and touching look at the need for human connection during the AIDS epidemic. Strangely, it can be applied to present day need for human connections during the COVID pandemic.

[John Geddie]

A real 1993 time capsule, but it's still very funny and very moving.

[JCSmith]

4spp, omg, liked it so bad... save me snarky fourth wall breaking main character

[A.]

The gasp I uttered at that ending ...

[Zachary Pareizs]

Excellent, hilarious, heartfelt, and horny! Hate AIDS, not life!

['Nathan Burgoine]

I loved this, even as I struggled with the memories it invoked. And, as always, the scene with the proud parent made me smile (and envious), and the deaths were poignant with just the right trace of humour - there was always so much laughter along with the tears, it seems to me - it was beautifully done.

This play is full of a kind of verve that flies in the face of so many difficult realities. The whole notion of 'promise me you'll never die' is such a strong one in gay culture (a culture obsessed with life, beauty, and youth if ever there was one) - and somehow Rudnick managed to speak the words in a way that wasn't trite.

[Michael]

Much funnier than the movie.