Failure: A Love Story

by Philip Dawkins

By the end of 1928, all three Fail sisters will be dead -- expiring in reverse order, youngest to oldest, from blunt object to the head, disappearance, and finally consumption. Tuneful songs, and a whimsical chorus follow the story of Nelly, Jenny June, and Gerty as they live out their lives above the family clock repair shop near the Chicago River, before their time unexpectedly runs out. A magical, musical fable where, in the end, the power of love is far greater than any individual's successes or failures. -- Playscripts.com

Genres: Plays, Theatre

78 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2014

About the author

Mr. Dawkins' work includes the world premiere of Miss Marx: or the Involuntary Side Effect of Living (Strawdog Theatre), which won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work, as well as recent critically-acclaimed plays The Homosexuals and Failure: A Love Story, which both also received Joseph Jefferson Nominations for New Work after their world premieres with About Face Theatre (2011) and Victory Gardens Theater (2012) respectively. His plays for young folks are published through Playscripts, Inc. A graduate of Loyola University, Chicago, Mr. Dawkins is an Artistic Associate of About Face Theatre, an Ensemble Playwright at Victory Gardens, and a founding member of Chicago Opera Vanguard. Mr. Dawkins teaches playwriting at Northwestern University, his alma mater Loyola University Chicago, and through the Victory Gardens ACCESS Program for writers with disabilities. He also teaches Kung Fu to little Chicago kids through Rising Phoenix Kung Fu. Hi-Yah!

Reviews

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS! BUT DO GO READ THE PLAY!

Traditionally, a love story follows a very simple story arc: boy meets girl, they fall in love, they face challenges, they get hitched, happily ever after, the end.

This play attempts to redefine love stories and does so in an absolutely heart-wrenching way. It starts off seeming silly, trivial, bizarre--but then, by the end, the silliness is stripped away by the characters attempting to figure out what it means to love.

Soooo glad I read this.

[Shamiya · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this play at my school… first table read through today… I’m excited though cause like I think it’s what you do with it that really will make it

[Edward Cheer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bursting at the seams with charm, I was blown away not only by the particular staging of this production I saw but also the fantastic script behind it.

Failure: A Love Story is a love story (it would be a surprise if it were a horror) about a man named Mortimer Mortimer and his affections for the three eccentric Fail sisters, and through that story we meet dozens of other equally eccentric and zany characters that contribute to this incredibly charming show. It's a wonder that it doesn't delve into the realm of "cheese" and many plays with similar writing are apt to fall into, but Dawkins writes with heart both to keep you laughing and tug those all-to-familiar heartstrings when the time arrives.

While there is much joy to be had with the story of Failure, there are certain elements I wasn't as keen on. For one, the romance Mortimer had with each Fail sister- while unique- never felt fully actualized. The narrator would sum up their courtship in a matter of seconds and I never got to see him deeply in love with each Fail sister and how either of them were in while they were both in love. That and Gertrude is just flat-out not as developed as her sisters. I'm sorry but there's very little to her personality until we're told at the very end how she feels about Mortimer.

The other big issue is... the opening. This show is driven HEAVILY by narration and the first ten to fifteen minutes (give or take) are stuffed to the brim with constant exposition. It wasn't enough to drag the show down, but you feel it wearing on you after a while. I started thinking, "Oh, okay... so this show just doesn't have dialogue between characters for more than three lines..." until Failure began in earnest. It wasn't a terrible opening but I still feel like there could have been a better one than the one we have right now.

Other than that, Failure is fine. It's a fine show. Despite it's faults, the charm of this show is purely magnetizing. It has such a great sense of rhythm, such heartwarming characters and a very sweet message on the rumination of death. And for that, I'd say it's worth a look at.

[Rachel Trimble · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little funny, a little dark, a little absurd, and a little sweet. A good read.

Recommend?
Yeah

[Em Stripling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this play about 3 times so far because I’m designing it in the Fall. I <3 it and it gets better on each reread. So fun and full of personality

[Mitchell Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to see, star in, and direct a production of this play IMMEDIATELY.

[Ash Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read and performed the One Act version of this play during my senior year of high school. It's a beautifully written script.

[Brooks Whitlock · Rating 5 out of 5]

influenced by wes anderson, chekhov, and orpheus alike. based in chicago! how could i not love? i cry

[Abby Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read through the script before I was Nelly for my high school’s version last spring. It was a really fun read, and I enjoyed the wit and humor amid the tragedy. It was especially fun to do character work for Nelly, because she is such a vibrant and energetic character before her death. Yes, some parts I wish had more detail, some I wish had less, but the script proves to be a really fun production on stage.

[Delia Kerr-Dennhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful play, with a fairy-tale-like story. It reads like a well organized bookshelf, with characters falling into place and held up by repeated bookends. There is charm and sorrow in it. Given the right direction and the permission to lean into tragical whimsey, this play can move audiences like clockwork.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author seems to want to talk about ancestry, but it seems to be forced upon the story unnaturally. However, I appreciate it that he creates the aura already.