The House of Yes

by Wendy Macleod

Book by Wendy MacLeod, MacLeod, Wendy

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, Fiction

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have I read a play that can show the negative effects of being obsessed with glamour and the Kennedy’s. I love this twisted play so much.

[Evan Stefanik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really gripping and twisted, but I took a star off because I was frustrated that there wasn’t much of a plot, even though MacLeod explained one in her Author’s Note. I interpreted this as more of a character study rather than a structured story. Still really good though!

[Miles Jay Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing the movie dozens of times...

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a bizarre and wonderful little play. It's short and terrifically witty, which is essential for such unhinged and tragic subject matter. MacLeod doesn't include much stage direction, and it certainly doesn't need much. The clarity and speed of her dialogue gives the reader (and the director, actor, or anyone else who'd need to interpret it) exactly what is needed to see the characters and the play.

I gave the first couple of scenes to my creative writing class as they were preparing to write their own dramas, and they adored it. They did a cold reading, and their immediate understanding and reading of the characters' quippy and razor sharp back-and-forth only clarified MacLeod's talent. I was happy, too, when I showed them the correlating scenes from the 1997 film (starring a perfect ensemble cast, including the amazing Parker Posey), and they thought that while it was very good, it would have been even better had the few lines from the original play that had been cut or changed been left as-is.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark comedy concerning a family in which anything goes - even incest between twins. Jackie-O (not long out of the mental hospital) and her twin, Marty, have a history of re-enacting President Kennedy's assassination as foreplay. When Marty, hoping for 'normalcy' returns home for Thanksgiving accompanied by his fiancé, the already unhinged family is thrown into further turmoil. Surprisingly, given the plot, there is snappy, witty dialogue, with Jackie-O having some of the best lines. Parker Posey was perfect in a movie version released about 12 years ago.

[Antonio Arch · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Thanksgiving 1983 in a wealthy suburb of Washington D.C. and the Pascal family, an affluent French-American family is preparing for the traditional festivities. The problem is that nothing is carried out according to tradition in this house or within the dysfunctional family which it houses. Mommy Pascal isn't sure of the paternity of any of her children, or what quite happened to her late husband. The boys are, well, boys, and the daughter in the family has a rather malicious mean streak to her, despite being a gracious hostess. She's also under the impression that she and her twin brother are destined to share absolutely everything in life (everything!) and is so fixated with the Kennedy family that she is affectionately known in the Family as Jackie-O, a fantasy that she carries out disturbingly flawlessly. She is also so psychotically funny that you cannot help but to quote her. She also does a top-notch of dealing with the fiancee of the man she loves...but I won't spoil that bit for you.

[Genevieve Speegle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowzers to this play. The dialogue is absolutely everything here - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I couldn’t look away and I audibly exclaimed several times (my husband read the play earlier this week but was in another room this morning so I had to yell out to him every few pages).

I remember seeing movie version years ago, but only had a faint recollection of the plot (although the strength of this isn’t really about the plot, per se, but about vibes and interactions).

Fabulous and wonderful. Now I have to go find everything else MacLeod has written 🤩

[Katelynn Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird little play, read to talk about on YouTube. Some great lines, kind of a fun one act with some good scenes, but just not that interested in the incest of it all. Shouldn’t have read the author’s note before reading it, I lost a lot of the tension knowing what the playwright wanted me to watch for, and I feel like the note could have been put at the end instead, although who am I to criticize Dramatists Play Service Inc.’ formatting?

[Cary S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was bonkers. It held my attention, but the dialogue felt a bit too coaxed by the playwright at times. Also, the ending, while exciting, didn't feel particularly emotionally evocative/ rewarding. I'd be curious to see this one staged...

[Leah NYC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still weird, still great!

[JHarrisComedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, cutting play with well drawn characters who are all as fucked up as the next one. Funny, incisive and of course, tragic at the end, it’s a great play.

[Borana · Rating 4 out of 5]

i would love to be cast in this. shout out to oomf and junior year acting class sorry i was a horrible scene partner!!

[A. Milz · Rating 5 out of 5]

a combination of rocky horror and who’s afraid of virginia woolf that somehow works perfectly this eats

[sam lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally got my hands on a copy of this :) i am obsessed and in luv with everything about this script please ask me about it and i will talk for ages

[Madilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely crazy and I love it

[Timur Markowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s disgusting, but it does its intended job.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incest is not usually a topic that you would think would make for an enjoyable play. This play managed to make a combination of incest and JFK assassination obsession into a funny engaging play that was very enjoyable regardless of its large ick factor.

[nazreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

i totally see how this type of story may not be for everyone, but gimme unhinged leading lady + twin incest + the kennedys, and i’ll always be first in line.

if you even remotely enjoyed this dark little play, i strongly urge you to watch the movie adaptation with the incredible parker posey.

[Rabbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flatmate M is planning to teach it in his course this summer. I just quote the whole movie back at him and underline new and unfamiliar lines in the play.

[Matty · Rating 5 out of 5]

fuck the movie this play is awesome.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wee over-rated here, but ya gotta give credit when someone finds another way to enjoy the assassination of JFK! Pink pill box hats all around!

[Jen(n) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play NEEDS to be done here.

[Mariel Kathryn]

A beautifully written mess.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark comedy that is filled with funny and creepy.