cul-de-sac - ePublication
THE STORY: On a lovely spring evening, all is not quite what it seems for three couples living on the same suburban cul-de-sac. Couple #1 never had children and realize that they might not be all they hoped they’d be. Couple #2 have kids—but they aren’t quite what they hoped they’d be, either. Couple #3 seem to be all that Couples #1 and 2 ever wanted to be: They have two wonderful kids, shiny new cars, and their grass is very green. But life is far from perfect for Couple #3. This is a shocking comedy that explores the extreme measures people take to achieve their dreams—or find happiness—or find their way to what they once were.
“John Cariani’s CUL-DE-SAC is charming, witty and macabre. [Cariani has a]…gift for the banality and comedy of despair.” —The New York Times.
“By imposing an expressionist design on ordinary events and heightening the language of everyday discourse, [Cariani] strips away all subterfuge from the lives of three suburban couples [and] does a remarkable job of exposing the inner lives of characters who make a point of living their perfect lives entirely on the surface.” —Variety.
“Cariani’s writing here is excellent. His use of overlapping dialogue gives the play a hint of madcap screwball comedy—a good touch considering the deep veins of sadness he taps within the characters…for every clear-eyed profundity he offers, Cariani serves up an equal amount of laughs…a potent wake-up call.” —NY Theatre.
