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David Lindsay-Abaire has crafted a drama thats not just a departure but a revelationan intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion and searing honesty.
DAVID ROONEY, VARIETY
GRADE: A! A transcendent and deeply affecting new play, which shifts perfectly from hilarity to grief.
WHITNEY PASTOREK, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Rabbit Hole presents a tragedy and its consequences with utter candor, and without sentimentality. The dialogue is most impressive for capturing the awkwardness and pain of thinking people faced with an unthinkable situationand eventually, their capacity for survival, and even hope.
ELYSSA GARDNER, USA TODAY
With Rabbit Hole, David Lindsay-Abaire has crafted the most serious, simply told work of his careera painstakingly beautiful, dramatically resourceful, exquisitely human new play.
LEONARD JACOBS, BACKSTAGE
A thoroughly absorbing, profoundly affecting and painfully touching examination of grief.
ROBERT FELDBERG, BERGEN RECORD
The highest praise to playwright David Lindsay-Abaire! Rabbit Hole is an entertaining and satisfying playit might just be the years best.
GENA HYMOWECH, SHOW BUSINESS WEEKLY
A perceptive and poignant study in the day-to-day aches of bereavement: problems with personal intimacy, the uneasy friends who dont call, the emptiness in a house packed with reminders ... Heart-breaking in its theme and details, Rabbit Hole is a beautifully crafted work of great sensitivity.
MICHAEL SOMMERS, STAR-LEDGER
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Rabbit Hole was commissioned by South Coast Repertory (Martin Benson, Artistic Director; David Emmes, Producing Artistic Director) in Costa Mesa, CA. It received its world premiere by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre, on February 2, 2006. The production was directed by Daniel Sullivan. The set design was by John Lee Beatty, the costume design was by Jennifer Von Mayrhauser, the lighting design was by Christopher Akerlind and the original music and sound design were by John Gromada. The production stage manager was Roy Harris. The cast included:
| BECCA | Cynthia Nixon |
| IZZY | Mary Catherine Garrison |
| HOWIE | John Slattery |
| NAT | Tyne Daly |
| JASON | John Gallagher, Jr. |
CHARACTERS
BECCA: late thirties/early forties
IZZ Y: early thirties, Beccas sister
HOWIE: late thirties/early forties, Beccas husband
NAT: mid-sixties, Becca and Izzys mother
JASON: a seventeen-year-old boy
PLACE
Larchmont, New York
TIME
The present
Act One
SCENE ONE
Late February. A spacious eat-in kitchen.
Saturday afternoon. Becca, late thirties, is folding the laundry, kids clothes, and putting it in neat piles on the table. Her sister, Izzy, early thirties, is in the middle of a story, getting herself a glass of orange juice from the fridge.
IZZY
And then I see her across the bar, coming at me with this look, you know. And everybody kinda steps aside for her, like the Red Sea, or whateverjust clears a path for her, and Im like, Whats with this nut-job?
BECCA
But you dont even know this woman.
IZZY
Never seen her before. I was just sitting there with Reema. Do you remember Reema?
BECCA
No.
IZZY
Shes a friend of mine. I was sitting there with Reema, and suddenly this lady is in my face. And shes all sweaty and yelling and really pissed.
BECCA
Why?
IZZY
I dont even know at this point. It has something to do with her boyfriend, whos apparently at the end of the bar.
BECCA
Were you flirting or?
IZZY
No, I dont even know who shes talking about. So shes all up in my face, and her breath is like
BECCA
Boozy?
IZZY
Yeah boozy, but even worse, you know, like theres something rancid stuck to the roof of her mouth.
BECCA
Ew.
IZZY
Rotting peanut butter or something.
BECCA
Good lord, Izzy.
IZZY
And shes harassing me, and blowing her stank-breath in my face. And cussing. My god, you wouldnt believe the words that came out of this ladys mouth.
BECCA
And you dont even know who shes talking about.
IZZY
Shes talking about her boyfriend.
BECCA
No, I know but
IZZY
Auggie.
(Beat.)
BECCA
Oh. I thought you didnt know who she
IZZY
No, at the time I didnt know who she was talking about, because I didnt know he was there. But then I figured it out later, Oh, she must be Auggies girlfriend.
BECCA
So you know him.
IZZY
Yeah, I know him, but still. Lemme finish.
BECCA
Im sorry.
IZZY
So shes all, You bitch, you. Fuck you, you bitch.
BECCA
Izzy
IZZY
Sorry: F-U, you B, and all that. Just talking like a maniac.
BECCA
Uh-huh.
IZZY
And people are looking at us, so Im starting to feel self-conscious.
BECCA
Of course.
IZZY
And shes just going off, and I cant really do anything because the place is so crowded, you know? And shes a big lady. Real hefty. More chins thanwhat does Mom say?
BECCA
More Chins than a Chinese phone book.
IZZY
Exactly. So I cant even get around her to escape or whatever. And Im starting to feel violated, you know?
BECCA
Sure.
IZZY
My personal space, and my dignity, or what have you, so I just made a fist, hauled off, and BOOM!
(Beat.)
BECCA
What does that mean?
IZZY
It means I hit her.
BECCA
No, you didnt.
IZZY
Crazy, right?
BECCA
You hit her?
IZZY
Yeah. Right in the face. BOOM. She went down.
BECCA
Oh my god, Izzy.You hit that woman?
IZZY
I couldnt get around her. And she was screaming like a retard.
BECCA
Izzy
IZZY
What would you have done?
BECCA
Well I certainly wouldnt have hit her. Jesus.
IZZY
And you know what they dont tell ya? It really hurts. To punch someone. It frickin hurts.
BECCA
Well, yeah.
IZZY
They dont put that on TV. Its all, Now that oughtta show him. But for me it was like, Motherfucker, that killed! Look at my knuckles. (Shows her; then off Beccas look) What?
