Brooklyn Boy

I really enjoyed Brooklyn Boy.  There are so many plays and so few that are good.  Not only did the play have humor it also had a thoughtful edge about returning to your roots.  Do you ever leave home? 

Adam Arkin was terrific.  The premise of the story is that Adam Arkin is a novelist who has just recently hit the big time.  His book is on the best seller list and has been opted for a movie.  He is in his mid-40’s.  His father is dying, his wife is divorcing him.  He is top of his game but his life is falling apart.  He has to go back to Brooklyn and deal with a life he has left behind.  He even bumps into an old friend who has stayed in Brooklyn. 

His father is the typical over bearing, unhappy for him, demeaning Jewish father.  Why did that generation behave like that – you got me?  As the play unfolds, it forces the audience to take a look at mid-life.  How did you get there and where are you going next?  How do you reconcile with your past? 

There are a variety of characters he comes across.  The ruthless movie agent in Los Angeles, the dumb movie actor, a one night stand who is half his age, the ex-wife who is also a writer and the father. 

I highly recommend the play.  It was two hours and 20 minutes with intermission but it didn’t feel that way.  Really well written play.  Bottom line, I liked it.