A Prayer for My Daughter (play)

A Prayer for My Daughter (play)

Infobox Play
name = A Prayer for My Daughter


image_size =
caption =
writer = Thomas Babe
chorus =
characters = Sgt Kelly
Jack Delasante
Jimmy
Sean
mute =
setting = The squad room of a downtown precinct
date of premiere = January 17, 1978
country of Origin = USA
original language = English
series =
subject =
genre =
web =
playbill_event =
ibdb_id =

"A Prayer for My Daughter" is a 1977 play by American writer Thomas Babe.

Plot

The play is set in the interrogation room of a downtown New York Police station in the early hours of 5th July. Two hardened cops (Sergeant Kelly and Jack Delasante) have arrested two suspects for the murder of an old woman. During the interrogations the police attempt to get a confession from the two suspects, Sean and Jimmy. As they do, they reveal far more about their own vulnerabilities than they intend.

The tension of the play is increased by constant updates, by phone, of the state of mind of one of Kelly's daughter. Lonely and unstable, she becomes increasingly suicidal.

Discussion

Thomas Babe's writing deals with the traditional notion of a hero. Throughout A Prayer for My Daughter the two 'heroes' - the police officers - increasingly blur the lines between right and wrong. Written a few years after the Vietnam War it is no coincidence that one of these officers is a Vietnam veteran, coping with losing the war and being rejected by his country.

Also of note is that each of the characters, in one way or another, has a daughter and the relationships are therefore father/daughter. This is significant within theatre, with the majority of texts concerning themselves with father/son relationships.

Productions

The first UK production was at the Royal Court, London, in 1978 starring Anthony Sher and Donal McCann. The play was first revived in 2008 by the Young Vic, directed by Dominic Hill.

References

The play takes its name from a William Butler Yeats poem written in June 1919, which muses on the hopes and aspirations of a father for his daughter.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • A Prayer for my Daughter — is a poem by William Butler Yeats, which he wrote in June 1919 and published in 1921 as part of Yeats collection Michael Robartes and the Dancer . It concerns Yeats child by Georgie Hyde Lees, who he married after he was repeatedly rejected by… …   Wikipedia

  • No Prayer for the Dying — Studio album by Iron Maiden Released 1 October 1990 …   Wikipedia

  • No Prayer For The Dying — Album par Iron Maiden Sortie 1er octobre 1990 Enregistrement juin septembre 1990 aux Barnyard Studios, Essex, Angleterre Durée 43 min 54 s …   Wikipédia en Français

  • No prayer for the dying — Album par Iron Maiden Sortie 1er octobre 1990 Enregistrement juin septembre 1990 aux Barnyard Studios, Essex, Angleterre Durée 43 min 54 s …   Wikipédia en Français

  • No Prayer for the Dying — Album par Iron Maiden Sortie 1er octobre 1990 Enregistrement Juin Septembre 1990 aux Barnyard Studios, Essex, Angleterre Durée …   Wikipédia en Français

  • No Prayer for the Dying — No Prayer for the Dying …   Википедия

  • For One More Day — is a 2006 novel taken place during the mid 1900 s by the acclaimed sportswriter and author Mitch Albom. It opens with the novel s protagonist planning to commit suicide. His adulthood is shown to have been rife with sadness. His own daughter didn …   Wikipedia

  • prayer — prayer1 prayerless, adj. prayerlessly, adv. prayerlessness, n. /prair/, n. 1. a devout petition to God or an object of worship. 2. a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession …   Universalium

  • Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play — The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It honors performances by actors in supporting roles in productions staged on… …   Wikipedia

  • No Prayer on the Road — Tour by Iron Maiden Associated album No Prayer for the Dying Start date 19 September 1990 End date 21 September 1991 Shows …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”