Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick, Rudnick, Paul (1998) Paperback

by Paul Rudnick

A two act play for 7 males and 1 female. From the publisher's "Jeffrey, a gay actor/waiter, has sworn off sex after too many bouts with his partners about what is "safe" and what is not. In gay New York, though, sex is not something you can avoid. Whether catering a ditzy socialite's "how-down for AIDS" or cruising at a funeral; at the gym or in the back rooms of an anonymous sex club; at the annual Gay Pride Parade, or in the libidinous hands of a father-confessor, Jeffrey finds the pursuit of love and just plain old physical gratification to be the number one preoccupation of his times - and the source of plenty of hilarity."

Genres: Plays, LGBT, Theatre, Drama, Queer, Humor, Comedy

Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while I just need to reread this and remember to actually live life not just walk thru it or run from it.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh dear! Time has flown by and AIDS has lost its death sentencing meaning. Jeffry is still enjoyable, funny, sad many times and I even dropped a couple or three of tears, but I’m afraid someone in their twenties or thirties will have a problem understanding all the fuss.

Still worth the time spent reading it.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent play. I won't lie...most of what I know of the early 90's AIDS epidemic is from Rent (I know. Shame on me) but this was amazing. Hilarious and heartfelt. I cried. I understand the movie has Patrick Stewart! Awesome!

[Marcus Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its humor, while uproarious, obscures much of the more dramatic moments, but until I see this onstage -- or check out the film -- I can't really say for certain.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rudnik, as usual, does a masterful job of balancing the sweet and the acerbic.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great funny scenes...

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5?

[Basil]

god ... i expected this to do exactly what it did which was to reduce me to a state of depression and dyshporia and misery of the best kind. there's a very specific tone and style to a lot of AIDS literature (if you can call it that?) and somehow i knew exactly what was going to happen just from reading a one-sentence synopsis. there's a certain doomsday/endtimes sensibility in plays/lit of this period that resonates really deepy with me both bc of the state of the world and also history and also bc i'm in some ways gay and in some ways a man. god!!!! im just gonna be weeping for the rest of my life huh

[Jessica Hirsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When did despair become enjoyable?...Who does that help? Even Brecht wrote musicals."

This play is definitely almost 30 years old - and has moments that haven't aged particularly well - but holy crap was this good. I sometimes get nervous when I see small casts that double out to 50ish roles, because I worry I'll get confused while reading, but this was so expertly crafted. Laughed and cried. Will never hear Gershwin's "Nice Work if You Can Get It" the same way again.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Answering the eternal question: how do you go on in the face of a terrible disease and the ever-present risk of death?


My answer would be "any way you can," but Rudnick's answer is better. And funnier.

Library copy

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me a lot of Pippin funnily enough with an easy humour and a central relationship that could really sparkle.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a great message but I wish I had more time to feel connected to the characters.

[Jim Stiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated but still charming - read this for a pandemic play reading group at Speakeasy. Was fun hearing the original cast, whom I saw lo those many years ago, read lines from it.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious and touching look at the need for human connection during the AIDS epidemic. Strangely, it can be applied to present day need for human connections during the COVID pandemic.

[John Geddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real 1993 time capsule, but it's still very funny and very moving.

[JCSmith]

4spp, omg, liked it so bad... save me snarky fourth wall breaking main character

[A.]

The gasp I uttered at that ending ...

[Zachary Pareizs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, hilarious, heartfelt, and horny! Hate AIDS, not life!

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this, even as I struggled with the memories it invoked. And, as always, the scene with the proud parent made me smile (and envious), and the deaths were poignant with just the right trace of humour - there was always so much laughter along with the tears, it seems to me - it was beautifully done.

This play is full of a kind of verve that flies in the face of so many difficult realities. The whole notion of 'promise me you'll never die' is such a strong one in gay culture (a culture obsessed with life, beauty, and youth if ever there was one) - and somehow Rudnick managed to speak the words in a way that wasn't trite.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much funnier than the movie.