Untold Decades: Seven Comedies of Gay Romance

by Robert Patrick

Seven one-act plays dramatize the lives of gay men during each decade from the twenties to the eighties

Genres: Gay, LGBT, Plays

212 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1988

About the author

Robert Patrick was an American playwright, poet, lyricist, and short-story writer and novelist. He was the author of over 60 published plays.

Robert Patrick on Wikipedia

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to say here. It's a hit-or-miss collection that's amusing and mostly charming. "Pouf Positive" is probably the stand-out here, but I did enjoy "One of Those People" and "Fog" just the same. I felt the 40s and 50s plays were too similar: both center around wartime heavens for gay soldiers on holiday, both include a character who just needs a little nudging for his queer side to come out, &c. Both suffer as a result of being juxtaposed with an almost identical type, but it's definitely offset by some unsung queer histories (for example, the gay for pay exchange during the Depression). Easy, breezy, and, at times, beautiful.

[Daniel Krolik · Rating 4 out of 5]

It might be a bit uneven, but this is a hugely ambitious and necessary collection of seven decade-by-decade short plays chronicling the gay experience in America. Worth reading and exploring, particularly the first, 1920s set piece, the 1940s story of a haven for gay soldiers being sent off to fight, and the final piece, a funny and devastating monologue of an AIDS patient

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert offers us a vivid glimpse into queer realities once denied visibility. Across these works, we witness the growing confidence and complexity of gay identity.
A vital read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of male sexuality and its history.