Long Ago and Far Away and Other Short Plays

by David Ives

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY is a domestic drama of a troubled young wife who finds herself crossing through time—and identities—on a fateful winter evening in an empty apartment. (2 men, 2 women.) FOREPLAY THE ART OF THE FUGUE brings us Chuck, a would-be Don Juan, in three rounds of seduction with three different women on a miniature-golf course. (3 men, 3 women.) SEVEN MENUS shows a round-robin of relationships at a restaurant table, as demonstrated by a group of friends that change, couple by couple and course by course, throughout several different meals. (4 men, 4 women.) MERE MORTALS eavesdrops on a lunch hour on a girder fifty stories over the street, as three construction workers share increasingly amazing secrets of their past. (3 men.) SPEED-THE-PLAY is a crash-course send-up of David Mamet, presenting the complete works of the master of scatological dialogue in just under seven male-bonding minutes. (9 men, 2 women, flexible casting).

Genres: Plays

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

A contemporary American playwright whose plays often consist of one act and are generally comedies. They are notable for their verbal dexterity, theatrical invention, and quirky humor.

He earned his MFA in Playwriting from The Yale School of Drama. A Guggenheim Fellow in playwriting, David is probably best known for his evening of one-act comedies called "All In the Timing". The show won the Outer Critics Circle Playwriting Award, ran for two years Off-Broadway, and in the 1995-96 season was the most-performed play in the country after Shakespeare productions.

Reviews

[Niklas Zenius Jespersen]

Ikke ligeså godt som hans "Time Flies" eller som andre forfatteres mere klassiske teaterstykker, men ender alligevel med at være ret sjovt og med vittige originale pointer. Stykkerne er af varierende interesse, men de bliver gradvist bedre. De to sidste stykker, et om tre aber der er i et forsøg hvor man skal se om de ved at slå tilfældigt i skrivemaskiner kan skrive Hamlet, og en hurtig gennemgang af David Mamets stykker, er ret humoristiske og smarte, trods at jeg ikke kender Mamet. "Mere mortals" om tre bygningsarbejderes hemmelige fortid har også sine sjove øjeblikke, mens "Seven menues" og "Long Ago and Far Away" er mere kedelige og måske nok illustrere nogle fasetter af den moderne middelklasselivs tomhed, men alligevel ender med at være lettere kedelige og lidt anstrengende.

[Castille]

In a reasonably small amount of space, Long Ago and Far Away poses some thought-provoking, existential questions about reality, time, and interpersonal relationships. However, the intersections of the world are rather difficult to understand, and could use clarification. I'd be interested in seeing a production of this play staged, as it's unclear what exactly is going on-- are these parallel universes? Time travel? How do the characters relate? I want to know more, and while I appreciate the openness for interpretation, I think it just winds up too vague here.

[Jonathan]

3.5

i enjoy the philosophical musings and the disappearing women, but i have no idea what’s going on, so i’m basically gus.

i don’t understand what jack is meant to represent, or his role, other than to bring laura to another reality in a different time, albeit in the same apartment, to find a real—or at least experienced—happiness.

prolly have to read it again.

[Jesse Kade Jenkins]

I’ve long been an Ives fan and have been fortunate enough to see some of his works. This play(s), however, have escaped me. UNTIL NOW!!! This collection was witty, quick, and just what I needed. The writing is snappy and full of heart, the characters are fun to hangout with, and the ideas really hit me in the sweet spot.

[Thalia Lucas]

Philadelphia 4.5 ⭐️
Long ago and far away 3 ⭐️
Mere mortals 4.5 ⭐️
Seven menus 1 ⭐️
Words words words 4 ⭐️
Speed: the play 3.5 ⭐️