The Late Henry Moss

by Sam Shepard

Two antagonistic brothers, Ray and Earl, are brought together after their father, Henry Moss, is found dead in his seedy New Mexico home. Henry was a harassing, arrogant drunk, and his sons have inherited his worst qualities. Ray is determined to uncover the mysterious circumstances of Henry's death. In three acts, the story of the father's last days unfolds in flashbacks.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Sam Shepard was an American artist who worked as an award-winning playwright, writer and actor. His many written works are known for being frank and often absurd, as well as for having an authentic sense of the style and sensibility of the gritty modern American west. He was an actor of the stage and motion pictures; a director of stage and film; author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs; and a musician.

Reviews

[Sycobabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of seeing the original stage production with Sean Penn, Woody Harrelson, Nick Nolte and James Gammon. Fucking awesome.

[David Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a play about two brothers and their recently deceased father. It was difficult to like anyone in the play except for Esteban, who you pretty much just feel sorry for.

The play has interesting stage directions, and I'd be interested in seeing it done just to see how that all plays out. But I have to say, I don't really feel much empathy for the characters themselves. Although I suppose I can relate on some level to the regret they feel surrounding lost opportunities to stick up for their abused mother.

It might be interesting to do a study on what attracts theatre goers to unrefined characters. I wonder if it's just that they are stripped of a lot of the niceties which veil the motivations of regular folks. Earl is probably a nice enough guy, but it's hard to see his brother as anything but a jerk.

[Steven Pattison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The drama/theater story of two brothers who reunite in a small new mexico town after their father passes away intercut with the story of the last days of their old mans life.

[Martin Denton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play by Sam Shepard takes place in a squalid, remote cabin in New Mexico, a house most un-home-like, one who's defining quality is its utter emptiness. Here Earl and Ray Moss have reunited after many years apart to cope with the death of their father Henry, a man they have both feared and hated since childhood. In flashbacks and in more naturalistic narrative scenes, Shepard exposes the raw anger that gnaws at the brothers, and sketches interesting though oblique contrast between their impotence and Henry's savage survival instinct. At the same time, weirdly, Shepard plays with the idea that Henry, while still alive, fears he may be dead: apparently he understands, on some level, that there's more to human existence than mere satisfaction of urges.

The play feels like it's about Ray and Earl, but we never get anywhere close to them: Shepard gives no information about who they are, what they do, or how they feel, except in relation to Henry. I wanted to know more about them, but I'm certain that's not Shepard's game here (though I'm not sure, on the other hand, that I can say exactly what Shepard is actually going for in this piece). It's resonant but horribly distant-- my receiving equipment doesn't pick up the frequency at which Shepard is broadcasting. What I do tune into, mostly, is an unfettered emptiness: the world of this play is beyond even despair, wallowing in a nihilistic void that's tough for me to comprehend.

[Roger O · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid shepard play