THE STORY: Al Kamen is a man who seems to have life going his way. In a series of fast-paced, comic scenes we see that Al’s wife, friends, and employer all think very highly of him, and that he, in turn, has strong, secure relationships with those around him. However, one day Al decides to quit smoking, and that’s when everything starts to fall apart for our hero. All of a sudden honesty becomes the name of the game; and in a series of encounters with his wife and friends, we see what Al, and those who surround him, actually think of each other. Pretty soon all of the harsh truths become too much for Al to bear, and he begins smoking again, yearning for the life that he used to lead. As the play ends the stage in engulfed in smoke, with both Al and the audience strangely unsure of what his future will hold for him.
Produced with great success at the Philadelphia Festival for New Plays, this clever wickedly funny new comedy (written as a companion piece for
Sleeping Beauty) concerns a young executive on the fast track to success, and the strange events that take place in his life once he decides to quit smoking.
Included in the collection
Sleeping Beauty and Smoke.
