Customer Reviews

Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune.

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This is one amazing play! A two-man play, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune exceeds all expectations. The play is about a woman, Frankie, and a man, Johnny. They work together in a restaurant. She's a waitress, he's a cook. They meet but don't connect. The beginning of the play finds them in Frankie's apartment after making love on the night of their first date. Throughout the two-act play, the star-crossed lovers are faced with trying to salvage something that ought to last, and not self-destruct.

This is not a book in the sense of a novel, it is a play. That is why there is so much "talking", or dialogue. I have studied this play intensively and it is so rich of true human emotion. The characters aren't glamorous. Their opposite personalities and views of love and romance turn "the last of the red-hot lovers" into the most unlikely couple. Still, you want the best for both of them. I love this play and consider it one of McNally's best.

When Terrence McNally's play premiered in 1988, Kathy Bates played the lead role of Frankie. In its recent Aug. 02-Mar. 03 run on Broadway, it resulted in a Tony nomination for Stanley Tucci. It is a hard-hitting two-character two-act study on our expectations of romance and our ability to believe something good can happen. Frankie is a twice-burned somewhat cynical waitress who has just had what she expects to be a one-night stand with co-worker cook Johnny. Johnny is a romantic who falls in love not only with Frankie but all of the possibilities of whom Frankie might be. Through the two acts, the couple trades jabs and expectations about where their "relationship" is or is not going. Johnny calls a local radio station and requests the most beautiful music, which the programmer selects as "Claire de Lune." The play takes the characters past disappointment in the hope that maybe true love can and will find them. Enjoy!

First, the complete and correct title of this Terrance McNally play is Frankie an Johnny IN the Clair de Lune, not AT the Clair de Lune like some media states it. When the romantic Johnny sees a full moon, they make love and Frankie hears beautiful music, Johnny asks the radio DJ for a request and the DJ plays the classical Debussy's Clair de Lune" - moonlight mood.

Second, this 2-character play is best to remain as a play and not a Hollywood movie. Setting is in New York 1987. The characters spew profanities and engage in sexual language.

Released from prison, 48-year old Johnny gets a job as a short-order cook where 37 year old Frankie waits tables. Opening scene is the first date and the two having sex in her one-room apartment. Johnny is a pure romantic, the way he believes romance is to be, but he is rough and doesn't quite say things in a romantic way. He is very humorous.

Frankie starts out wondering what kind of a lunatic/maniac she brought home, and she is resistance and suspicious. At her age, she isn't easily taken in. The two share their commonalities, differences, dislikes, dreams, argue, make love, eat, talk, argue., etc. etc. Don't expect much too happen, the vibrant dialogue is great enough!

To get the full and complete portrayal of these characters, you need to read the play. Time after time, movie versions lose so much. This was excellent!.....Rizzo

The story of Frankie and Johnny is entertaining. It is very character dialogue-driven and I love that. The film Clerks reminds me of that same style. There is not a lot of action but the dialogue is what drives the stories. You can hear the tone of voices as you read. The characters are flawed and raw and very believable as real people. You love them, you hate them, they irritate you, you cheer them on...these are the characters that stick out in your mind. While Frankie and Johnny are not as epic known as Romeo and Juliet, I feel that Frankie and Johnny are true. They show us the dark of life, love and relationships while still giving you hope. They don't sugarcoat anything and yet they are strong and vulnerable all the same. This is the prime example of character development.
As an FYI, this play is in two acts and consists of only two characters during the course of a night. Sex is the first thing you hear on stage and is a strong talking point.

All of the action in this piece takes place in Frankie's apartment. The play opens with the couple having sex. It is clear from the beginning that they know each other though not very well. The audience soon learns that they met at the diner where both work. Frankie is a waitress while Johnny is the cook. Johnny is idealistic, looking for true love, and has set his sights on Frankie. Frankie is jaded/grouchy, suspicious and will have none of Johnny's romantic advances. This creates 71 pages of back and forth between the two. The repartee is humorous at its best and laborious at its worst. The two characters are grotesque stereotypes in which Johnny's idealism actually becomes creepy to the point that I questioned it the play was going to reveal that he was an escaped patient from a mental institution. Frankie's abrasiveness is further exaggerated as she huff and puffs around the apartment threatening to leave or kick him out. As they go back and forth, they start to open up to each other and see the potential for happiness within themselves and with each other.

Don't get me wrong, I love Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion! is one of my favorite plays) but this is just uncharacteristically weak. The dialogue feels stilted and unrealistic, the symbolism barrels in on anvils, and the ending is childishly foolish. Overall, McNally is a classic playwright who deserves great respect and praise. Unfortunately, this is far from his finest work and is worth skipping over on your way to his other pieces.

this book has virtually no plot and i wouldn't recomend it to anyone. it has to much sex and to much talk. it doesn't give much detail about the outward apperances and all i had to rely on was the pictures in the middle of the book