*4.5
i first saw this as a play in käfigturm theater in bern, im german. i loved it. i think it is the newer, abbreviated version, or maybe the shortened one that is not in this book? defs not the three one act plays though.
anyways, i think this is great. it is heartfelt brutal and kind and evil and lovely and nasty.
i don't quite feel it's my place to say too much about this, as i have no experience whatsoever relevant to what this story tells. there are things that are icky about it (like alan being underage when he and arnold meet, ed's red flags), but then it's like 40 years old. i was amazed when i realised harvey fierstein is the gay uncle from mrs doubtfire.
the fight with ma in the end is brutal.
i felt like the shortened version didn't do laurel justice.
but i wish i had a family like david finds at the end.

well this was a ramble, but it won't get amy more coherent tonight :)