Stop Kiss (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It doesn't do this play justice to say that much of the action takes place in a hospital room around the bed of a comatose woman. On the other hand, it may explain why critics have been so impressed. From unpromising material--standard urban settings, stilted exchanges, missed cues, private jokes, half-finished sentences--Diana Son has crafted a subtle, moving drama about vulnerability and risk. When Callie, a twentysomething New York traffic reporter, promises to take on a cat owned by Sara, "some friend of an old friend of someone," she arranges to leave quickly after Sara drops off the cat so that she doesn't get drawn into a dull evening with a stranger. Callie is an expert at avoiding conflict, which serves her well in the city. Sara, on the other hand, has willingly left her job at a Quaker school in St. Louis to teach third-graders in the Bronx. Although both are "straight" women, they circle each other warily, nursing an unspoken attraction. The playwright's choice to shuttle back and forth in time, between the hospital room and police station and the early days of Callie and Sara's friendship, lends a bittersweet quality to even their lightest exchanges, allowing us to wonder, along with the two women, whether the violent outcome of their single kiss makes it a bad idea. Stop Kiss revises Romeo and Juliet, with one thug and the mores of a nation standing in for the family feud. --Regina Marler --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dramatist's Play Service (June 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822217317
• ISBN-13: 978-0822217312
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,657 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good play, April 16, 2000

By	Nathan Blumenfeld "mastadge" (Wilmington, DE United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Stop Kiss (Hardcover)

Stop, Kiss is a well thought out, well-written play about "different ways people can love one another." The story is told in a unique manner -- it starts with a scene from the present, before the climax, and then the next scene takes place afterwards, and so on, so we never actually see the event happen but learn about it before and after the fact. Interestingly, confusingly as it may seem, this is a very effective means.

The story is about two single New York women, one a teacher, the other a traffic reporter, both of whom have had failed relationships with others in the past. Over time, they realize that they have fallen in love, only to be physically assaulted by an outraged homophobe as they share their first kiss. The play shows us not only the events leading to this, but all the trauma and drama afterwards.

While the play starts off a little slowly, it escalates into an engaging, important, and relevant picture of modern life and the attitudes and views surrounding homosexuality in today's culture. I recommend seeing this play if it comes your way.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful play!, January 4, 2001

By	"missmonaj" (Athens, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stop Kiss (Hardcover)

I stumbled upon this play at the Soho Writer's Centre during my time in London last year. It was so good I saw it twice, and I would have gone again had it not closed. There's something bittersweet and special about this story, and the way it is told is electric. I couldn't wait to get to the next scene, and at the end, I wanted to spend more time with these women. It's sad that in today's society we can't just leave each other alone to live and love as our heart leads us to. This is just one story. There are so many more...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Powerful, June 3, 2002

By	Curtis Lane (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This is an excelent exploration of love and what constitutes it, and a painful reminder of hate--specifically homophobia. The message here is one worth hearing, and the telling of it is skilled and a pleasure to read. Highly Recommended.