A Steady Rain: A Play

by Keith Huff

Joey and Denny have been best friends since kindergarten, and after working together for several years as policemen in Chicago, they are practically 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.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When reading this play I had the impression I was experiencing the same feelings as the readers in the 40's when they read through newly published copies of A Streetcar named Desire or Death of a Salesman : "This play is going to become an instant classic". I believe within fifty years "A Steady Rain" is going to be considered a defining play from 21st century.

Two cops, talking about their life.They’re not bad guys, or at least they don’t want to be, and sure they aren't heros. They do not lead easy lives as cop routine puts a strain on normal feelings and reactions. Friends since childhood, one of them seems to have a steady life: a wife, two kids a plasma screen... whereas the other is a hopeless alcoholic who spends the night at his friend's house as he is overprotective and hopes to get him out of the whole. But maybe things are not exactly what they seem.

It's difficult to find a text which is so modern and classic at the same time. It draws perfectly very complex characters and makes them recognizable and real. Their story is painful, terrible and however it catches your attention from the very first line and never lets you go.

Reading it is a pleasure, but it is totally awesome if you are lucky enough as to see it live and with two actors who are giants able to do justice to the play.

[Preston Scott Blakeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent about a month reading and studying this play for an essay I wrote to be submitted to a literary journal this upcoming winter. The philosophical, psychological, and sociological themes in this play are profound, presented quite uniquely in the context of inner-city Chicago. Denny is blinded by the sociological idea of false class consciousness, which compromises his moral conscience and disables him from ordering reason above his animalistic passions. He reminds me of Raskolnikov and Meursault and Achilles all at the same time. Huff’s dialogue surely does the depth of this work justice, reminding me of the minimalistic, comedic prose of Vonnegut.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Chicago cops, friends since boyhood have their friendship tested to the limit when one of them seeks revenge on a local pimp. It's a two-hander, which I think is a very difficult form to write. You have to convey a lot of information between only two characters and their dialogue. This play goes even further. Much of it is played to the audience, each character conveying his own side of their story . . . which leads to events becoming blurry. The audience is left to decide who is telling what truth (although I think the "the" truth definitely falls on the side of Joey). The key is to have two tremendous actors and a strong director. But even just reading this play kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing is hard-hitting and uncompromising. Hats off to author Keith Huff. This is a thrilling play.

[Jennifer Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an impressive feat. A rather short play (a duologue) between two Chicago cops and their fraught bond. I loved this. It was compelling and thought provoking and deeply familiar with its tone and purpose. I would love to see this on the stage and how these words and the relationship between Denny and Joey would be fleshed out in human interaction.

[Melissa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow start for me to get into, but I ended up getting wrecked by this play.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The language of the play is wonderful and captures the feel of Chicago perfectly. The characters are tree dimensional, richly detailed and fully developed.

This may be one of the rare good plays that is better suited to the movie theater than the stage. As compelling as the story is, the format, at least of the production I saw, of having just the two men in two chairs talking to the audience and to each other, usually in memory was too static. There is a difference between theater and story-telling. Worse, under the weight of the format that substitutes narration for drama, the play can seem preachy and a little pedantic.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I liked this play, I can see why some people had a problem with it. I can see it being very confusing as to who is speaking to whom and why-and when it's only a 2 person play that poses a challenge. (5/10)

A second reading of this piece still packs a punch. It's still chaotic in the reading , but if you give yourself over to the chaos I found that the characters come more to life and the struggles are heightened. I didn't given myself over the first time I read it, so I'm glad I gave it a second read. (9/24)

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are well developed and the story is certainly an interesting one. I wasn't the biggest fan of it being a narrative rather than a play in the moment. I feel like it limits the productions considering how talented the actors need to be in order for it to really be a success. It's a challenge for actor and director alike, and I would love to see a production of it.

[Aňa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone: Please, do yourselves a favour and go see this play the first chance you get. Just don't schedule any children's parties or similar activities for immediately afterwards.

I cannot vouch for the reading experience, should you decide to consume A Steady Rain in book form, but considering the narrative nature of the play, I'd venture a guess that it might be very readable.

[Gypsysoul_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping story which kept the reader glued to the book. I couldn't put it down, but I hate to admit, & this may just be me, but I did predict where he was going with the story. There were turns, raw emotions, & brilliant storytelling but I prefer to have a story that keeps me guessing.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably compelling; it reads like a novel. Heart-breaking and amazing piece of work.

[Kristina Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gritty, dirty, compelling. Would love to see it staged some time, but it's probably a little (ok, a lot) ambitious for community theater.

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This two-man play has such amazing, raw power, I was moved to tears. Been a while since something has done that.

[Jon Hewelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

ReRead 30 December 2020

[Sky Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness for Dr. Julie Steward. If it were not for her majesty and brilliance I would have never read the greatest play to exist in our time. It is a work of beauty. #moralrotctw