THE STORY: At a bus stop in a run-down New Jersey town, Darja, a Polish immigrant cleaning lady, is done talking about feelings; it’s time to talk money. Over the course of 20 years, and three relationships, Darja negotiates for her future with men who can offer her love or security, but never both. Award-winning playwright Martyna Majok’s IRONBOUND is a darkly funny, heartbreaking portrait of a woman for whom love is a luxury—and a liability—as she fights to survive in America.
“[A] quietly gripping play…Ms. Majok’s perceptive drama, with its bone-dry humor and vivid characters, illustrates how vulnerable people like Darja are hostages to the vagaries of chance, unless they can manage to climb out of poverty.” —The New York Times.
“[An] intriguing work…The play, like life, isn’t about easy answers.” —New York Daily News.
“Majok’s unsentimental IRONBOUND…[is a] topical and insightful drama…a tough, moving portrait of a woman stuck in place.” —Time Out New York.
“You seldom see plays that are both harsh and wonderful, but that is the balance that Polish-born playwright Martyna Majok strikes…she writes with such energy and charisma that the play’s four characters feel vivid and real…The play never sugarcoats, yet it steers clear of bleakness because Majok’s language is so entertainingly alive.” —Washington Post.
