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review in 1988 found the laughter in the first act to be "almost continuous", with the second act being less successful. Nevertheless, "Mr. Gurney still has new and witty observations to make about a nearly extinct patrician class that regards psychiatry as an affront to good manners, underpaid hired
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with their middle-aged, ostensibly single son and daughter. The cocktail hour stretches out because "the maid doesn't know how to cook a roast". So the little family carries on consuming increasing amounts of alcohol leading to increasing arguments. Their son, John, is an editor at a publishing
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Gurney has said the play was "probably the most personal thing I had written up to this time". He also revealed that he promised his parents it would not be produced in
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described it as "an examination of an overprivileged family that fights domestic battles while downing drinks."
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help as a birthright and the selling of blue-chip stocks as a first step toward
Marxism."
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Drama Desk Award for
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265:"The Family That Drinks Together Bickers Together"
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269:The New York Times, June 10, 2008
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310:Gurney, Albert Ramsdell (1989).
263:Genzlinger, Neil (2008-06-10).
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178:as the father, Bradley
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271:. Theater.nytimes.com
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217:The New York Times
201:Critical reception
184:as the mother, Ann
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405:The Cocktail Hour
210:Buffalo, New York
190:as their son John
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106:Old Globe Theatre
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