Fefu and Her Friends

"Fefu and Her Friends," by Maria Irene Fornes, is a witty and disturbing contemporary play. A key image from the play occurs early on, when one character talks about the experience of lifting up a stone and seeing the slime, fungus, and worms underneath. "Fefu" is about peeling back the gentile facades of life and seeing the unpleasant decay that lies beneath.The play, which has an all-female cast, takes place at an elegant New England country house where the characters of the title have assembled. As the women gather to talk in various groupings, Fornes dissects such topics as gender roles, marriage, and educational conventions. Stirrings of insanity, violence, heterosexual frustration, and repressed lesbian desire contribute to the play's unsettling atmosphere. Overall, a memorable work from a grand master of contemporary theater.

this book is a nearly forgotten classic of 70's theatrical avant garde; it is so good to see it in print. Read it. It's a hoot!