The Apple Family: Scenes from Life in the Country

by Richard Nelson

This critically acclaimed play cycle about loss, memory and remembrance follows the Apple family of Rhinebeck, New York, as they grapple with events both personal and political in their immediate present: the 2010 election (That Hopey Changey Thing), the tenth anniversary of 9/11 (Sweet and Sad), Obama's reelection (Sorry), and the fiftieth anniversary of JFK's assassination (Regular Singing). Delicately constructed and precisely observed, this quartet of plays — each of which premiered at The Public Theater on the day it was set — is a masterpiece of stage naturalism and a powerful reminder of the theater's unique capacity for civic dialogue and public communion.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre

300 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Ethan Li]

the new york times had it out for me specifically when they put this cycle of FOUR plays on their best plays list.

anyways i really need to know what the apple family thinks about zohran mamdani 🙏

nyt great plays 18/25

[Si Squires-Kasten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally did it - I found a "bourgeois dinner party play" that I actually liked! Seeing this type of play done well underscores some of the faults in other works in the genre by Lydia Diamond, Theresa Rebeck, Ayad Akhtar, etc. Those playwrights flatter their audiences by creating dialectics that are easy to understand because each of the individual characters are shallow stereotypes. The Apple Family, by contrast, are shown to be both genuinely intelligent and totally incapable of grasping onto their own political moment, and so rather than walking away from "That Hopey Changey Thing" feeling smart, Nelson's audience is confounded by the contradictions and limitations of bourgeois liberalism.

Additionally, while the other playwrights I mentioned marry a naturalistic setting with melodramatic romantic betrayals, the personal moments in Nelson's play feel consistent with the work as a whole - all of it moving at the speed of life. I'm excited to return to the other plays in this collection.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of four domestic comedies taking place on significant dates in recent American history. A brother, three sisters and one significant other gather repeatedly at one sister's home in Rhinebeck, New York. This series of interactions between family members who share a passion for reading, writing, storytellinging and singing seems pretty low key. But they mount up to djpe a nuanced portrait of the American family in trying times.

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I could hear the actors, as I was fortunate to see the Apple plays live and online. It was great to read the lines I had missed during the performances (due in part to the fact that they talk over each other).

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating visits to the Apple family! 🙏