Another Part of the Forest

by Lillian Hellman

The play takes place in the 1880s. Marcus Hubbard, rich, despotic and despised, made a fortune during the Civil War by running the blockade and worse. In his family life he is equally injurious: one son he bulldozes while the other he holds in contempt for his frailty. By Marcus's side stands his mentally deranged wife and, finally, Regina, the adored daughter amoral, conniving, and beautiful as an evil flower. Marcus, it would seem, has been on the top of the heap long enough and someone must depose him. Turning the tables on a tyrant has always made for high drama, and when Hellman puts her brilliant talents to work on such a theme the result is a play of great theatrical intensity.

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Theatre, American, Drama, 20th Century

Paperback

First published December 1, 1948

About the author

Lillian Florence "Lilly" Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American dramatist and screenwriter famously blacklisted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) at the height of the anti-communist campaigns of 1947–52.

Hellman was praised for sacrificing her career by refusing to answer questions by HUAC; but her denial that she had ever belonged to the Communist Party was easily disproved, and her veracity was doubted by many, including war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and literary critic Mary McCarthy.

She adapted her semi-autobiographical play The Little Foxes into a screenplay which received an Academy Award nomination in 1942.

Hellman was romantically involved with fellow writer and political activist Dashiell Hammett for thirty years until his death.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Little Foxes but I liked Another Part of the Forest much more. The scheming is blatant and much more treacherous and the plot goes a long way towards giving insight into why the characters in Foxes have such a blase attitude about stabbing each other in the back, and why Regina is bent on revenge.

The overall action is also much faster paced in Forest. It keeps the reader's attention focused more so than Foxes does, but I wonder how that pacing works on stage. Does it feel like too many things are crammed in at once?

The representation of racism is far more disturbing in Forest than it is in Foxes but, again, it sets a great backdrop for the attitudes of the characters in Foxes.

Although this is technically a pre-quel, I wish I had read these plays according to the characters' chronological order vs. the author's to create a full spectrum of the characters' development and demise.

[Courtney Ferriter · Rating 3 out of 5]

** 3 stars **

A family drama set in Alabama during the Reconstruction period in which all of the main characters are bad and/or delusional. It was fine as far as plays go, but I didn't really care about any of the characters because most of them are just horrible. I also didn't find the 'big reveal' about Marcus to be very shocking, and it seemed out of character for him to capitulate to blackmail, so I wasn't totally convinced by the ending.

This play is supposed to be a prequel of sorts to Hellman's more famous play The Little Foxes, which I plan to read later this year.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this prequel to The Little Foxes which takes place 20 years prior. Lots of family drama, secrets, back stabbing, blackmail. Recommend reading it before Foxes although it was written after.

[Jessica Whittemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This family is brutal. The machinations are riveting, and it is fascinating seeing where these characters came from. Like, it's so well done it sells me on the concept of the prequel, something I normally think is stupid and gimmicky.

[Ashton Eleazer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder why she chose Regina for this character name again unless it was the same one. I could more easily follow the manipulation and schemes in this play and I enjoyed it. I would love to see it played because it might be even more eye opening.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place before The Little Foxes, but was written after it. More insight into the Hubbard family and their family drama. I read this in Six Plays.

[Laura]

Pretty boring, but a good prequel to The Little Foxes. You understand where the character's came from.