The Guys: A Play

As a firefighter I was taken aback by the emotions that surfaced as I read. Nelson does an excellent job capturing the unseen stoicism of the fire service. An excellent read for anyone.

This play is fascinating on many levels - and is rich enough to continue to wow audiences long after September 11 sinks deeper into history. There is a lot of truth here - richly evident in the human element of the stories Joan and Nick weave together at a time when stories (beyond horror and heartbreak) were able to tell. Joan, a writer, is introduced to Nick in the days after September 11 because Nick has the privilege - and the awesome responsibility - to speak at the funerals of his men who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. The audience (in this case, reader) gets to know Joan, the interviewer and more - about her background in Oklahoma. We learn, for me it was first hand and finally, about the magnitude of the impact this event had on the New York fire departments, especially in Manhatten. The relationship between Nick and Joan is remarkable AND truthful - sort of a universal relationship of souls connecting post tragedy of this size and strength. Finally - I enjoyed reading the Preface, the Author's Note and the Director's Note. It felt almost sacred to hear how this very vital piece of theatre, and literature, came into being. I would love to see it performed somewhere. Ah, to be so blessed.

THE GUYS is a two-character play based upon real life experiences. The characters of the play are Joan and Nick. Joan is a writer who is asked by Nick, a fire chief, to write eulogies for the men at his fire house who died on September 11th. Nick wants to honor his friends and comrades, but doesn't know how. He seeks Joan to write down on paper what he knows from memory and remembers from his heart. THE GUYS is a short play, ninety minutes when performed, varying from monologues by Joan to scenes where she is discussing with Nick the men who died that day. The play is moving and seems to capture much of the spirit of our nation during that time. The rememberances of each of "the guys" are vivid and though are based on sketches of many real life fireman, their lives are representative of any number of Americans. The play truly is an honor to them because it illustrates what a hero really is, just an ordinary person who arises to the occassion during extraordinary times. The play is extremely well-written and simple. The character of Joan appears to be mostly based upon the author herself, though there are probably some differences. Overall, a beautiful piece of dramatic art. Other than that, it's a wonderful play.

There have been a lot of books written in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But "The Guys," by Anne Nelson, is definitely one that stands out from the pack. This is a two character play. The preface states that it "is based on a true experience.""The Guys" tells the story of Nick, a New York City fire captain who has lost many men in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. He comes to see Joan, a writer, so that she can help him write eulogies for his fallen men. As the two characters talk about the dead firefighters, Nick opens up and they create testimonies to these men.This is a very moving work of drama. Although rooted in the events of 9/11, the play touches on issues that transcend that specific historical moment; it's about the place of a writer in society and about the potential power of words as healing tools. It's also about how extraordinary events impact ordinary people.A director's note states that the play was commissioned in response to the 9/11 events, and opened in December 2001. Recommended as a companion text: "The Laramie Project," co-authored by Moises Kaufman; this is another fact-based play about how people respond to a violent tragedy.