$9.99
Synopsis:
Sol Goldberg, a blind amateur pianist, ekes out a living writing speeches for special occasions.
He is initially approached by Lev and Tosha Goldberg with a request that he write their daughter, Nina, a speech for her 21st birthday party.
Once entwined with the dynamics of the Goldberg family, however, he finds it’s not that easy to extricate himself, as they keep coming back in greater numbers with requests for a variety of speeches for a variety of occasions.
Over the years, the relationships between the various Goldbergs begin to morph into something new and quite different.
But beneath the surface of this family ‘comedy’ lies a more profound observation on the nature of human relationships, whereby each of us interacts with those around us on the basis of a relationship dynamic that has already moved on.
Character Breakdown:
The play is a five-hander: Two females, three males.
NINA GOLDBERG 21-39
TOSHA GOLDBERG NINA’S mother 38-56
LEV GOLDBERG NINA’S father 39-57
MENDEL GOLDBERG NINA’S grandfather 69-80 / ZEV GOLDBERG MENDEL’S identical twin 70-87 – one actor
SOL GOLDBERG A writer of speeches 29-47
SOL is blind.
Running-time: 105 minutes
Production History:
World Premiere: Melbourne. Beckett Theatre, Malthouse. 2000.
Published:
Currency Press. 2000
Australian Playscripts. 2010
Awards:
Nomnated Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards 2001
Nominated AWGIE Awards Best Stage Play. 2001.
Reviews:
“.. a wonderful comic writer – one who can deliver a particularly black comedy.. complex, subtle, intelligent and searching, as well as wonderfully funny.. a warm, funny play that has more than just a feel-good factor going for it.”
Hele Thomson
The Age
“.. Elisha writes a good gag in the off-hand, cynical style of Woody Allen and Seinfeld. But he also writes some good monologues..”
Kate Herbert
Herald Sun
“.. very funny running gags.. an excellent night of entertainment.. extremely well-judged in the way it balances levity and the more sombre, even tragic moments of life.. Elisha writes terrific dialogue.. a well-wrought, traditional, stand-and-deliver play..”
The Sunday Age
The Currency Press edition is a pre-production draft. A final draft can be downloaded for $9.99, but no free excerpt is available for this play.
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