Her work is just so incredible. The language in this one, as in all her others, is so stripped down and has an unintentional poetic feeling to them. Annie Baker writes about people and their stories that no one cares about. But she does and is able to tell of them with beauty and truth and that is what I admire so much. Because of this I think Baker contributes to the growth of what a play can be and who it can be about.
Her style is unique and appreciated. The Aliens is a cool show that makes you think. I loved the idea of getting to see or be apart of this production one day.
How powerful? I just love the idea of it and will be pondering it for awhile. Nov 21, Lindsay Heller rated it really liked it Shelves: play , I was one page into reading this play when I realized I had seen it performed years ago.
I remember liking it well enough, despite its total lack of female characters. But this play really stuck with me, even though I couldn't remember the name. It's a really quiet story about two loafers with delusions of grandeur that they may or may not be able to back up. And that's really all. But sometimes that's enough. Oct 21, Tyler added it. The way Baker portrays unsure footing in its many forms here is vital and truthful.
Between this and The Flick , she's become one of my favorite writers in any medium. Sep 30, Renarde rated it really liked it. Holy crap but this was amazing. I read the entire book in one sitting while sitting outside on a little bench overlooking the water, and let me tell you: it was an experience. There is just so much one can do with this play. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much, but it was great! Nov 15, Erin rated it really liked it. I love this play.
People thought that drama was getting realistic when they started bringing furniture and animals on stage, but it turns out that realism is actually forcing your audience to sit through the awkward silences that make life what it is.
I love Annie Baker's plays is what I'm saying. Nov 30, Shannon McGovern rated it it was amazing Shelves: plays. Feb 06, Kacey rated it it was amazing. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lots if pauses, this review should take, like, 3 minutes to read. With a break. The break is really important for lots of reasons I will never divulge.
Feb 19, Ella added it. God I fucking love Annie Baker. One of my favorite plays. Nov 23, Not Mike rated it liked it. Feb 25, Gracie Ording rated it really liked it Shelves: Aug 06, Hanknooney rated it really liked it.
Aug 06, Garden Utensil added it. Oct 07, Matilda rated it really liked it Shelves: plays-read. I really enjoyed this play, it was so simple and humble but incredibly powerful. Jun 28, Aaron rated it really liked it Shelves: play-a-week. Interesting setting.
Back alley behind a coffee shop, a fenced in area where only employees are supposed to come. Mainly features two, sort of, losers. Late twenties, early thirties. Messed up kids. I think you would call it a Language Play because it's got all its pauses very much built in. It's got a whole thing about the intentional use of what might be considered a gratuitous amount of silence. I'm not sure what this silence could be doing. But it must be doing something.
In my read of it, i Interesting setting. In my read of it, it seemed to add this sort of gravity that settles continually onto things. The plot follows the disjointed rambling hanging out of two friends, one who graduated highschool but didn't go to college, the other a college dropout. Drinking tea, doing shrooms, playing guitar, and sort of serving in friendship as a lozenge to the suffering of the other.
The play has a slow, hulking development that for all the casual seeming randomness of the train of conversation feels deliberate and mounting with weight. You feel the texture of these people as it goes. Could you say it is a study in compassion towards people who have given up? These are hurting people. But not without humor or humanity. And they're making it through the moments, the difficult moments of consciousness--I don't know how to fucking describe this play.
I enjoyed it though. I thought about re-reading it during the week but I didn't find the time. There seemed to be an ample amount of love in there. May 01, Frank Hering rated it really liked it. And you can see a fabulous production of it at Yale on YouTube. The play opens with K. He is joined by his more literary bearded friend, who is a budding novelist, and then More recently, Annie Baker is the Pulitzer Prize winning writer of The Flick.
He is joined by his more literary bearded friend, who is a budding novelist, and then by a high-school employee, who at first tells them they can't be back here, employees only. The characters are believable and endearing. Annie Baker says there were a number of college dropouts walking around bearded and in sweatpants in her hometown. The conversations and situations ring true, especially when they have their own 4th of July party.
I leave it to readers to figure out what the title refers to, but if you're looking for little green men, you may be disappointed. May 22, Maria rated it liked it Shelves: plays , women-playwright. The writing was captivation. Annie Baker makes frequent and striking use of silence, adding this note at the top of the play: "At least a third of this play is silence.
Pauses should be at leas three seconds long. Silences should last from 5 to 10 seconds. Long pauses and long silences should, of course, be even longer" In an interview with her she says that she wanted to write a naturalistic play that she would want to see and I think she did really well on that front.
The three characters are un The writing was captivation. The three characters are unique and realistic and pop of the page. My one major complaint is that they're all men. But that's selfish, and the characters are the right ones for the play.
I'm just hoping she'll do an all female play next. Maybe some of this was lost on me, because I thought what Jasper read of his novel was awful. Was I supposed to like it? Still, I see the redeeming features: the quirks and subtle depths of character, the natural lope of the dialogue.
Hopefully this will grow on me in time to come, since I'll be working on it in this semester's directing class. There was something almost bizarrely beautiful about this play. I can't exactly put my finger on it I'm not sure I want to. Considering how short it was, the characters erupted off of the page.
Aug 06, Paul rated it liked it Shelves: poetry. Sympathy for her characters, but maybe too cute. The pacing was a nice change of Dec 03, Kapil Patil marked it as to-read Shelves: play-s.
Dec 16, Steven rated it liked it Shelves: plays , american , seen-plays , women. An odd but likable little play, filled with silence and eccentric characters. Jan 04, Robert rated it it was amazing. Great play, looks great on stage. There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one ». It was pretty cool. It was cool. The kids were cute or whatever. And I like—yeah. The other CITs were cool. KJ Excellent. I mean, whatever. It was just like a week.
But she was pretty cool. She lives in Boston. It was cool, though. EVAN 17 is like kind of pathetic, though, right? I mean. When was your first…whatever? KJ It was with this like year-old chick at an Allman Brothers show.
KJ And then I dated this like younger girl when I was in high school, she was like a freshman and I was a senior and I think I kind of fucked with her head. So yeah. KJ Well. Sophomore year I fucked this girl in my interdisciplinary seminar but then I dropped out at the beginning of junior year. Evan exits into the coffee shop. KJ sits by himself. He thinks hard about something, and then, upon realizing something else, smiles. Then he goes back to thinking again.
KJ is standing next to the backdoor, leaning up against the brick wall. He is humming quietly to himself. After a while, Evan comes out through the backdoor in his white apron, lugging a full garbage bag. He starts when he sees KJ. They stand there for a second, and then Evan walks over to the garbage bin, opens it, and throws the garbage bag in. He stands up straight, stuffs his hands in his pockets, and stands there while KJ gazes at him, smiling.
KJ Yeah. A long pause. They are both at a loss. Evan decides to try sitting in one of the plastic chairs. He does so. KJ stays by the door. I mean, wherever I get in I guess? KJ College is bullshit, though. KJ scratches his beard thoughtfully. But when it gets interesting is when you try figure out what can be a P and Q in the first place. KJ So okay. KJ And you like look at your own sadness.
From like above. KJ And then picture another J. Sitting next to it. Evan stops in his tracks, terrified. Is he supposed to say it back? A long pause while KJ gazes at him. Another pause. Evan hesitates, then goes back inside the coffee shop. The same day. KJ has not left. He is lying across two chairs, sleeping. There are a couple of tiny liquor bottles at his feet. Evan comes out with his backpack on. Evan stands there looking at KJ for while. He approaches him and tries poking him very lightly.
Nothing happens. He tries poking him harder. After a few seconds, KJ opens his eyes but does not move. EVAN Mom. EVAN She like—she does this thing? I was like obsessed with this word. I would just walk around whispering it to myself. I was a little kid.
I was like 5. I would walk around all day saying: he whispers softly Ladder. And I was like: okay. And I just went: Ladder. Ladder he has begun to cry by this point Ladder. KJ shrugs. Evan walks over to the big recycling bin and tries to knock it over. But this is hard to do. The recycling bin is very, very heavy. It takes Evan a long time. Then, finally, he tips it over. The sound of glass bottles falling.
Maybe a few roll out onto the ground. Evan walks inside. KJ is alone. After a long time Evan walks out again. He is holding an oatmeal raisin cookie. EVAN What did he die of?! He was just…it was an accident. EVAN I have to go home. I have to go home. Evan puts his cookie down on the table and leaves. Eventually he starts singing, softly and slowly. KJ notices the fallen recycling bin. He stops singing and walks over to it.
He tries to right it. It takes a very long time, but he succeeds. He stares at it for a while, then lays his hand on top of it. Evan is standing outside by himself, on a break. He wears his white apron. He looks around furtively, and then he takes a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He tries tapping the pack of cigarettes against his palm, a little unsure of what direction to tap it in. Then he unwraps it. Then he takes out a cigarette. Then he takes out a book of matches from his pocket.
He lights the cigarette with some difficulty. This is the first time in his life he has ever bought a pack of cigarettes and this is the first time in his life that he has ever smoked a cigarette by himself.
There is a certain bittersweet joy in it. While he smokes, he gazes around, looking for KJ, who is not there. After a little while, Evan takes out his cell phone and he dials. He waits, then:. How are you. I bet you were good. Either way. I know that sounds really dramatic but um. My friend died.
He was like a genius and like a novelist and he died of a drug overdose. He was like one of my best friends. Sorry this message is ramble-y. Evan hangs up. He stubs out his cigarette. He waits for KJ, in vain. A minute passes. The set is empty. It is somehow startling to see him enter because we have only seen him attached to the plastic chairs up until this point. KJ puts his guitar case down and sits in one of the plastic chairs.
He is wearing shorts and sneakers and sunglasses. He sits there for a while, in the sunlight, and then he bends down and unlaces his shoe. He turns his shoe upside down. A pebble falls out onto the ground and makes a small noise. He takes a paperback book out of his bag. He flips through it and opens to a page and starts reading it. Evan appears at the back door, peeks out, and sees KJ. He opens the door and comes out. He is wearing his white apron.
KJ keeps reading. He takes out his pack of cigarettes and lights one. He is much better at smoking by this point. Evan smokes while KJ reads. KJ I have a list of places. Iowa City. Olympia Washington. Amherst Massachusetts. KJ going back to the paper Eureka California.
KJ ignoring him Eureka California. Question mark. Commune in Virginia where they make hammocks find out name. EVAN Is there gonna be a funeral? KJ looks at him for a little while. It was almost finished so I thought they could publish it as like.
An unfinished thing. Farrar Stroose and Geeroosh. Union Square. And um—yeah. EVAN Rahna came back yesterday. I guess she was on vacation? And she was really, um, mad.
And I explained to her about um…about what, um, happened while I was gone—. EVAN You can stay as late as you want today! Evan looks at it. He bends down and unbuckles the case.
He takes out the guitar. He looks at it. He holds it. Evan plays a few halting chords. EVAN Oh. I should probably go back inside. He has a thin, slightly out-of-tune voice. Evan tries not to smile. But then he does. They stand there for a while. End of play. Open navigation menu. Close suggestions Search Search. User Settings. Skip carousel. Carousel Previous. Carousel Next. What is Scribd?
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Related titles. Carousel Previous Carousel Next. Jump to Page. Search inside document. Jasper nods. KJ He started a wind farm. Near Marshfield. Jasper exhales.
He lives on a wind farm. He lives on one. KJ …Eli. KJ Hey. Do you wanna talk about it? Or would you rather just, uh… KJ trails off. KJ nods again. Some kind of psychological issue.
It feels like a relief. KJ Cool. KJ nods again, at a loss. Jasper lights another cigarette. KJ still squinting …Trying to sneeze. Looking at the sun helps you sneeze. Jasper and KJ regard him coldly. Jasper and KJ do not respond. KJ Rahna lets us sit out here.
EVAN Shelmerdine. KJ Shelmerdine? EVAN Okay. After a while: KJ Does it feel hot to you? Like especially hot? KJ This must be like global warming or something. Is it supposed to be this hot in June?
KJ Oh yeah? KJ He was like twelve. That kid. EVAN What are you doing? KJ Concocting. KJ blows on the tea, then tastes it. He smiles. KJ Taste it. I have one more year left. KJ Is Mr. Rafaello still around? KJ I hate that guy. Evan nods. Jasper is has now reached KJ. They see each other and snap their cell phones shut. KJ No shit. But he makes an appearance. Jasper hauls off his backpack and sits down.
He looks at the mess on the table. KJ Myfriendmyfriend. KJ …Back problems. KJ I slept on it weird. KJ Wait, what?! KJ I had no idea. I swear to god. With the hair? KJ Oh god. KJ Oh man. KJ Sprocket. Jasper stubs out his cigarette. KJ Ha. KJ …I did not know. KJ Are you okay? I just had to, like, breathe. KJ What were the worst five minutes of your life? KJ Sandy Jano?! Was she talking about her Gender stuff?
KJ is silent. KJ In one night? KJ Awesome. EVAN after glancing behind him at the door Uh…sure. After a while: KJ Will someone please pass the psilocybin tea? Jasper ignores him. KJ Shroom karaoke. KJ laughs. No one else does. EVAN Wait. That tea has mushrooms in it? Psychedelic mushrooms? EVAN He gave me some.
He made me drink some! EVAN Like a whole sip. EVAN Shit! A pause while Evan tries to gauge if he feels weird. KJ still on his back Urban myth. They both look over at KJ. His eyes are closed. Pretty much. EVAN Counselor-in-training? This is the question Evan has been dreading. I like teach little kids how to play piano and guitar and stuff. KJ You play guitar?
Not that well. More piano. KJ Jasper plays guitar. Jasper rolls his eyes. EVAN Oh yeah? KJ We had a band! EVAN What was the name of the band? KJ finally sits up. We had like 50 different band names. KJ The New Humans! He really pushed for that one.
KJ Hieronymous Blast. Jasper shakes his head. Dharma Machine! Nefarious Hookah! KJ No. You like Bukowski? Not really. In my journal? Evan nods, and keeps nodding. EVAN …Bukowski. Jasper nods thoughtfully. KJ A hootenanny.
KJ Drumming of any kind. Where is the party? Jasper stares at him. We are. Be here. Loiter here. A pause while Evan stands there, at a loss. Um… Jasper has gone cold. Evan sighs, re-shoulders his backpack and starts to walk away.
KJ Yes. KJ What?! KJ No way. KJ Projecting, man. Your novel is turning me on. Jasper puts down the paper and sighs. One thing. Can I say one thing? KJ She did? You knew that. KJ Jesus. Oh man. Never mind. A weird pause. KJ shaking his head Jesus. On your birthday. KJ looks slightly wounded. He takes off his sunglasses and puts them in his lap. KJ No! Jasper flips through the pages. Jasper starts reading again. Jasper puts the sheaf of papers down.
Then KJ leaps to his feet with an uncharacteristic amount of energy. Jasper tries not to beam. KJ Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod. EVAN …That was really cool. EVAN That was really really cool. KJ Yes! Welcome to the Fourth of July! Shelmerdine showed up. KJ Fuck no. Fuck no. EVAN Is anyone else coming? KJ and Jasper suddenly look self-conscious. Eli is being an asshole tonight and going out with—no. I brought some stuff.
Evan kneels down and unzips his backpack. He removes some Tupperware. He takes a bottle out of his backpack. KJ Ooh. Jasper shoves the bottle into his pocket. KJ Aw come on. Are you serious? I can drink Peppermint Schnapps! A very weird pause. I thought that you guys were gonna…I thought you guys were gonna drink.
KJ to Jasper Are you kidding? KJ walks over to the recycling bin and kicks it. Yes I would. He walks over to Evan. KJ …Fuck you. Evan reaches into his backpack. EVAN This is kind of dumb. Evan takes out a box of sparklers and puts them on the ground. KJ, standing near the recycling bin, shakes his head sullenly. EVAN No way. KJ continues to give no response.
I was just hanging out with a bunch of black people and we were like all having a really good time together and laughing and I felt really, um, accepted— KJ, despite himself, cracks a smile. KJ And I was really happy. The sound of a distant, muffled explosion. The sky is significantly darker at this point. EVAN forgetting to be cool Oh wow. Jasper looks at his watch. No one knows what to say. KJ Music! KJ Frogmen. I grew up in Alstead. You know where that is?
Evan shakes his head. Evan shakes his head peacefully. They watch KJ dance to the fireworks. The fireworks reach their climax. EVAN Hey! KJ …Hey! KJ Welcome back from band camp! EVAN Thanks. Another pause that goes on a little too long. KJ Did you have a good time? KJ Nicole.
Evan blanches a little. KJ Oh. Is that inappropriate? I did. KJ …Great! KJ There are no rules, man. My first kiss I was, like, fourteen? EVAN Oh man. EVAN Wow. KJ Bleak, man. It was bleak. EVAN When did you have your like first serious girlfriend? KJ Ah… KJ shrugs uncomfortably. Serious shit or whatever. Another weird pause. I should probably go inside. KJ Wanna hear a song? Evan looks at his watch. KJ Thanks. KJ You could say that. You could say that. See ya later, KJ. KJ giggles.
EVAN You scared me. Kind of. EVAN I have a five minute break. KJ claps his hands. KJ Yay!!! That sucks. EVAN Does he have like a cold? KJ with exaggerated excitement So are you gonna go to college?!
Next year? I think so. KJ Where? KJ Never heard of it. EVAN You dropped out, right? EVAN Why? KJ I had a breakdown. EVAN Did you have like a major? KJ Double Major. Math and Philosophy.
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