Little Bird.

by Mary Gallagher

The scene is Kelly's apartment in a rundown section of Cleveland, flanked by universities and now infiltrated by middle-class hippies. Kelly, a laid-back young artist who is finding it difficult to paint, ekes out a meager living helping his friend Clint make custom furniture. Also on hand are Clint's lover, Prandy, a free-spirited "drop out" who now works as a waitress; and Prandy's vulnerable and somewhat "up-tight" younger sister, Maura, who is half-heartedly completing college. The central action of the play involves the complicated and sometimes stormy interaction of these four highly individualistic protagonists, each of whom, in his or her own way, has rejected the conventions of traditional middle-class life. The crisis of the play comes when Prandy announces that she is pregnant and Clint, who had previously planned to take off for parts unknown, refuses to change his plans despite her condition. Prandy's embittered decision to have an abortion drives a wedge between her and her more conventional sister, a rift which is widened still further when Maura embarks on an affair with the much older (and disturbingly haphazard) Kelly. In the end, when Clint returns from his wanderings, a reconciliation of sorts is achieved among the four-impelled by the deep-seated affection and concern that they feel for each other, but also tempered by the hurt and anger which have tested, and yet perhaps deepened, their fated interdependence.

Genres: Plays

72 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1984

Reviews

[Ghost Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this play, everything except the weird age gap was perfect. The characters were complex and interesting, the story simple, but effective.

[Lillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

An exploration of what it's like to be tight knit, and to know too much about one another. Family crisis', hidden love, personal decisions and how they effect others- all these are explored in this play.