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The Bandaged Place
Struggling to recover after an assault, Jonah realizes the only way to heal is by mending the relationships with his family. A brutal and lyrical play about
the things we hang on to and the price of moving forward, the bandaged place tells the story of one man's attempt to free himself from the abuses of his past.
"Unflinching... the bandaged place considers intimate partner violence and its aftershocks from a perspective not often seen - between men of color, whose vulnerability may otherwise be overlooked or denied." - The New York Times
"A jewel of a play... absolutely real." - The Daily Beast
"It will make your heart bleed in many different ways; it is a thoughtful and excellent meditation on the long and winding road to healing." - New York Theatre Guide
the things we hang on to and the price of moving forward, the bandaged place tells the story of one man's attempt to free himself from the abuses of his past.
"Unflinching... the bandaged place considers intimate partner violence and its aftershocks from a perspective not often seen - between men of color, whose vulnerability may otherwise be overlooked or denied." - The New York Times
"A jewel of a play... absolutely real." - The Daily Beast
"It will make your heart bleed in many different ways; it is a thoughtful and excellent meditation on the long and winding road to healing." - New York Theatre Guide
92 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 1, 2024
This was one of five finalists for the annual Lambda Literary Award for Drama, given to the best LGBTQ+ play of the year. Usually several of the nominees haven't even been published but luckily, for the first time in a long time, all this year's nominees ARE available - and I intend to read them all. The winner this year was Fat Ham, which also won the Pulitzer, and made it to Broadway where it was nominated for five Tony Awards (winning none) - but having read that very broad comedy, I can say without question, this is the more memorable work.
It tackles a very thorny subject - domestic violence within the black gay community, but does so with an assured and sensitive hand. It focuses on the aftermath of an almost fatal beating that protagonist Jonah suffers at the hands of his sadistic partner Ruben, and his road to recovery with the help of his grandmother Geraldine, daughter Ella, and Ella's dance teacher Sam, a potential new boyfriend for Jonah. Each of the five characters are vivid, three-dimensional 'real' individuals, and Rivers has an unerring sense of verisimilitude with his dialogue. He has a few other plays, and I will definitely be reading those as well.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/th...
https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/r...
https://www.theatermania.com/off-broa...
It tackles a very thorny subject - domestic violence within the black gay community, but does so with an assured and sensitive hand. It focuses on the aftermath of an almost fatal beating that protagonist Jonah suffers at the hands of his sadistic partner Ruben, and his road to recovery with the help of his grandmother Geraldine, daughter Ella, and Ella's dance teacher Sam, a potential new boyfriend for Jonah. Each of the five characters are vivid, three-dimensional 'real' individuals, and Rivers has an unerring sense of verisimilitude with his dialogue. He has a few other plays, and I will definitely be reading those as well.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/th...
https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/r...
https://www.theatermania.com/off-broa...
June 22, 2024
I adored this. It's a beautifully realized play with moments of absolute transcendence. I absolutely love how honest this play is about desire, too! This really blew me away.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews