A Steady Rain: A Play [Paperback]

Keith Huff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 2010

Joey and Denny have been best friends since kindergarten, and after working together for several years as policemen in Chicago, they are practically family: Joey helps out with Denny's wife and kids; Denny keeps Joey away from the bottle. But when a domestic disturbance call takes a turn for the worse, their friendship is put on the line. The result is a difficult journey into a moral gray area where trust and loyalty struggle for survival against a sobering backdrop of pimps, prostitutes, and criminal lowlifes.

 

A dark duologue filled with sharp storytelling and biting repartee, A Steady Rain explores the complexities of a lifelong bond tainted by domestic affairs, violence, and the rough streets of Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Characteristic of Chicagoland theater at its gritty, no-nonsense best . . . An irresistibly forceful exercise in noir-style tandem storytelling." --Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal

"A gritty, rich, thick, poetic and entirely gripping noir tale of two Chicago police officers whose inner need to serve and protect both consumes them and rips them apart." --Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

"A Steady Rain turns out to be less like the perpetual drizzle of its title and more like a snowball that builds to an avalanche. While Huff starts with a couple of familiar characters . . . he deepens them into complex figures, compellingly human even when at their most despicable . . . A Steady Rain [has] genuine dramatic power and a sense of true tragedy." --Steven Oxman, Variety

"Huff's vivid, intricately layered script . . . lifts [the play] far above the usual clichés, both detaching us from the melodrama and imbuing it with the force of tragedy." --Richard Zoglin, Time

About the Author

KEITH HUFF is a resident playwright at Chicago Dramatists and the author of numerous plays that have been produced off Broadway, internationally, and nationally. He lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Faber & Faber; 1 edition (February 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865479364
• ISBN-13: 978-0865479364
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Steady Rain Play Paperback, April 18, 2010

By 

SalsaMaine "SalsaMaine" (Maine) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Steady Rain: A Play (Paperback)

I saw the play and was mesmermized and wasn't sure if I wanted the book in case I would be disappointed. The book did not disappoint. It captures all the nuances from the live performance that I saw and the only word to describe how I felt reading it is "Spellbound". The language and content is intended for adults. Once the staging and the characters were set, I couldn't put it down.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent little play, great night at the theatre!, April 27, 2010

By 

Reader (Asia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Steady Rain: A Play (Paperback)

I saw the play a few times, at very close range ( great way to see the actors' facial expressions and body language) and was very touched by the dramatic intensity of the story of two friends on whose lives a steady rain of escalating events brought down one of them towards an emotional, physical, and mental decline.

The book is a very good reminder and reference of those unforgettable moments in the theatre! Reading the play itself even added more nuances to the excellent dramatic presentation already vividly shown on stage, making me appreciate Keith Huff's work even more. Plus this is the only way that I can revisit those moments at the Schoenfeld theatre!

Kudos to Keith Huff and the two outstanding theatre performers who gave life to these dramatic moments on the life of two officers of the law, Hugh Jackman ( Denny) and Daniel Craig ( Joey). One of the most incredible moments for me was seeing tears coursing down Hugh Jackman's face, towards the end, as he enacted the complete downfall of Denny, the erstwhile cocky, alpha-male cop with his cherished Nielsen Family! And to see that happening every night was amazing! Daniel Craig was likewise excellent with his out-of-movie persona portrayal of Joey. Keith Huff must have been very proud of his work and how it had created one of the theatre's most memorable moments!