The East End Plays: Part 1

by George F. Walker

By the time he was writing Gossip in 1977, George Walker had already begun to shift his settings from, on the one hand, North America’s colonial roots in Europe, and on the other, its fascination with other, exotically foreign locales. Yet, even in The Power Plays, Walker is still exploring the ironic and dramatic possibilities of the stereotypes (albeit, by this time, home-grown ones) that continue to provide the fertile ground of contemporary North American sensibilities.

With his creation of the Governor General’s Award winning Criminals in Love (1984); the Chalmers Award winning Better Living (1986); and Escape from Happiness (1991), Walker embarked on a whole new direction in his evolution as a playwright. Much less of his comic irony now relied on the recognition of character, much more now relied on the creation of character. In a very real way, George Walker had freed himself to “come home.” Set in what is transparently a single neighbourhood, the East End of Toronto, these three interrelated plays were quickly collected in a volume called, naturally, The East End Plays, in 1988. From here, George Walker moved in two related directions: to a further exploration of the margins of contemporary urban life in the global village with the three plays now collected in The East End Plays Part 2 (1999); and to the continued exploration of linking plays around a single location with the wildly successful six-part Suburban Motel (1998). The original three East End Plays are here published in a completely new and revised Talonbooks edition now called The East End Plays Part 1.

Genres: Plays

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[T. Crouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walker is one of my favorite living playwrights. Despite the crude violence and language that is sprinkled throughout, his work elevates humor to its darkest and most insightful level. "The East End Plays: Pts. 1 & 2" together represent some of his most potent writing. Watching petty criminals orbit each other in cheap hotel rooms lays bare the futility of human endeavor in the most hilarious way. You'll spend half your time trying to diagnose the mental proclivities of the characters, and the other half laughing at the ridiculous tactics they try to get out of the messes they create. His words jump off the page, alive in your mind as if the show were being staged somewhere in your frontal cortex. Honestly, these plays are downright funny - not because they mock the mental health of their characters, but because they represent mental issues accurately as leading to real-world dilemmas that we can all relate to. The fact they effectively carry deeper messages about habit, routine and mental health demonstrates Walker's strengths as a storyteller.

[Arrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Specifically rating for Better Living

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Criminals in Love: 4.5 stars

Better Living: 5

Escape from Happiness: 5

All very good, funny, great characters.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid George F. Walker fan. The three plays in this trilogy following the lives of a lower class family (and Junior!) living in the east end of Toronto (presumably). Criminals in Love is by far the best of the three, closely followed by Better Living. Escape From Happiness is the weakest of the bunch, but it still has that wonderful Walker bite to it. Highly recommend to people who like fast-paced, intelligent, and funny writing/theatre.

[Michelle Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great writing style. These plays are edgy and will entertain. Especially loved Better Living and Escape from Happiness.