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Simpatico
Set within the netherworld of thoroughbred racing, this hair-raisingly funny new play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of True West explores the classical themes of memory, loyalty, and restitution. Simpatico launches readers into regions where high society meets the low life, and where, as one of the main characters observes, "someone is cutting someone else's throat."
135 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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112 people want to read
About the author
Sam Shepard
227 books665 followersSam Shepard was an American artist who worked as an award-winning playwright, writer and actor. His many written works are known for being frank and often absurd, as well as for having an authentic sense of the style and sensibility of the gritty modern American west. He was an actor of the stage and motion pictures; a director of stage and film; author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs; and a musician.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 1, 2014
I am not at all sure what Shepard was trying to do here - write a hit? Write a comedy/drama? Show a kinder, gentler, more entertaining side? Say something about America? Whatever it was, it does not really work. Granted I have found him to be a playwright whom it is better to experience on the stage than on the page. I thought "Buried Child" was crap when I read it, and terrific when I watched it. It could be the same with this, but I doubt it.
The play starts off like another "True West". Two men: one twisted, one together, one a loser, the other a success. But it turns out to be a different situation. Mr Success is dependent upon Mr Loser and sends him money to keep his mouth shut about something. Apparently several years ago they blackmailed a racing official with some sexual photography. Mr. Loser still nurses a grudge against Mr. Success, because Success took his wife and ran away with her after the dirty work was done. Not a bad setup, but the tone begins to vary a lot. It feels as though Shepard never figured out where he really wanted to go with this.
Other characters are thrown into the picture, such as a young woman who is a strange conglomeration of naivety and knowingness. This girl has somehow gotten involved with Loser and then begins to pal around with Winner. Loser than goes to visit his ex-wife, who is Winner's current wife, and try to win her back or something. By the end it is hard to understand, or to care much, about what is going on with these characters.
This piece lacks the fire and tension that make the best Shepard plays into something truly special (plays like "The Tooth of Crime", "Fool for Love", and "True West"); and it doesn't have the inventiveness that make some of his other pieces into such wacky fun. But I still want to see it, in case I have to take this all back someday.
The play starts off like another "True West". Two men: one twisted, one together, one a loser, the other a success. But it turns out to be a different situation. Mr Success is dependent upon Mr Loser and sends him money to keep his mouth shut about something. Apparently several years ago they blackmailed a racing official with some sexual photography. Mr. Loser still nurses a grudge against Mr. Success, because Success took his wife and ran away with her after the dirty work was done. Not a bad setup, but the tone begins to vary a lot. It feels as though Shepard never figured out where he really wanted to go with this.
Other characters are thrown into the picture, such as a young woman who is a strange conglomeration of naivety and knowingness. This girl has somehow gotten involved with Loser and then begins to pal around with Winner. Loser than goes to visit his ex-wife, who is Winner's current wife, and try to win her back or something. By the end it is hard to understand, or to care much, about what is going on with these characters.
This piece lacks the fire and tension that make the best Shepard plays into something truly special (plays like "The Tooth of Crime", "Fool for Love", and "True West"); and it doesn't have the inventiveness that make some of his other pieces into such wacky fun. But I still want to see it, in case I have to take this all back someday.
December 18, 2015
December of Drama 2015, day sixteen
"You sit and smile simply,
Saying your garden, your flat
And your life are complete.
I want it simple like that.
I want it simple like that.
I want your life, I want your garden,
I want your flat."
--Filler Is Wasted, by Snowden
Wow, not a lot of reviews or ratings for this one. And here I thought it was one of the more popular Shepard plays, what with the movie adapted from it and all. Well, it's a little too murky. The plot, oddly enough, made it seem like Shepard was trying to emulate David Mamet or something. I'm still upset that I missed the revival here in Chicago starring Michael Shannon, however. All the lies and betrayals are revealed in a breezy, unemphatic way, and there are a lot of strangely comic lines that only serve to undercut the menace. I can see why so many people felt ambivalent about this play-- because it's ambivalent, too. The main characters, Vinnie and Carter, nearly pulled off some scam once upon a time where they swapped racehorses, and by the end of the play Carter wants to swap lives with Vinnie. Carter stole his Buick, stole his girl... he drinks his bourbon, usurps his bed... I think this was all more clever than meaningful.
On a side note, Sam Shepard has written over 45 plays? Judas Priest! I could've devoted my entire December to reading his stuff and would still have 14 to go.
"You sit and smile simply,
Saying your garden, your flat
And your life are complete.
I want it simple like that.
I want it simple like that.
I want your life, I want your garden,
I want your flat."
--Filler Is Wasted, by Snowden
Wow, not a lot of reviews or ratings for this one. And here I thought it was one of the more popular Shepard plays, what with the movie adapted from it and all. Well, it's a little too murky. The plot, oddly enough, made it seem like Shepard was trying to emulate David Mamet or something. I'm still upset that I missed the revival here in Chicago starring Michael Shannon, however. All the lies and betrayals are revealed in a breezy, unemphatic way, and there are a lot of strangely comic lines that only serve to undercut the menace. I can see why so many people felt ambivalent about this play-- because it's ambivalent, too. The main characters, Vinnie and Carter, nearly pulled off some scam once upon a time where they swapped racehorses, and by the end of the play Carter wants to swap lives with Vinnie. Carter stole his Buick, stole his girl... he drinks his bourbon, usurps his bed... I think this was all more clever than meaningful.
On a side note, Sam Shepard has written over 45 plays? Judas Priest! I could've devoted my entire December to reading his stuff and would still have 14 to go.
June 13, 2007
متاسفانه هرگز هیچ نمایش نامه ای از شپارد را روی صحنه ندیده ام. دیدن فیلم نوشته هایش در سینما، مرا برای دیدن نمایش نامه هایش بر روی صحنه مشتاق تر می کند.
Reading what so ever written by Shepard means going through a shortened social history of America after ww II, and up till the end of 20.century. Plots are so simple and dialogues are not very much sophisticated. Maybe some of works by Shepard are not as interesting as the others, but for those whom are interested in sociology, and drama as writing-art, will enjoy reading or watching works by Shepard. Reading simple and plain plays by Shepard gives you dare to sit and write about whatsoever plot you have in your mind. Many of his plays are so easy, but honest, fluent and great as well. After watching Paris, Texas by Wenders, I believe Wenders shots matches with Shepard’s atmosphere and dialogues. ”Few American playwrights have exerted as much influence on the contemporary stage as Sam Shepard. His plays are performed on and off Broadway and in all the major regional American theatres. They are also widely performed and studied in Europe, finding both a popular and a scholarly audience" .
با وجودی که سام شپارد، موضوعاتی گاه پیش پا افتاده را با زبانی ساده و در عین حال بصورتی حیرت انگیز طرح می کند، نمی دانم چرا تا کنون به فارسی برگردانده نشده اند، یا احتمالن من ندیده ام. خواندن شپارد اگر هیچ نباشد، دست کم درس بزرگی ست برای آنها که می خواهند بنویسند، و آنها که سال هاست می نویسند اما آن چنان سنگین که انگار "وزنه برداری" می کنند! آثار سام شپارد به نمایش نامه ها و داستان های کوتاهش محدود نمی شوند. او در زمینه ی موسیقی جاز و پاپ هم کار کرده و برخی از سروده هایش برای خوانندگان صاحب نام، مشهور است. سام شپارد بازیگر سینما و تیاتر هم هست و در برخی از فیلم ها همچون "فرانسیس" یا "دیگه نیا دم در" (ویم وندرس) با همسرش "جسیکا لنگ" همبازی بوده است. سام شپارد هم چنین نقد تیاتر و سینما هم می نویسد و برخی از نقدهایش در مجلات مشهور انگلیسی زبان منتشر می شوند.
Reading what so ever written by Shepard means going through a shortened social history of America after ww II, and up till the end of 20.century. Plots are so simple and dialogues are not very much sophisticated. Maybe some of works by Shepard are not as interesting as the others, but for those whom are interested in sociology, and drama as writing-art, will enjoy reading or watching works by Shepard. Reading simple and plain plays by Shepard gives you dare to sit and write about whatsoever plot you have in your mind. Many of his plays are so easy, but honest, fluent and great as well. After watching Paris, Texas by Wenders, I believe Wenders shots matches with Shepard’s atmosphere and dialogues. ”Few American playwrights have exerted as much influence on the contemporary stage as Sam Shepard. His plays are performed on and off Broadway and in all the major regional American theatres. They are also widely performed and studied in Europe, finding both a popular and a scholarly audience" .
با وجودی که سام شپارد، موضوعاتی گاه پیش پا افتاده را با زبانی ساده و در عین حال بصورتی حیرت انگیز طرح می کند، نمی دانم چرا تا کنون به فارسی برگردانده نشده اند، یا احتمالن من ندیده ام. خواندن شپارد اگر هیچ نباشد، دست کم درس بزرگی ست برای آنها که می خواهند بنویسند، و آنها که سال هاست می نویسند اما آن چنان سنگین که انگار "وزنه برداری" می کنند! آثار سام شپارد به نمایش نامه ها و داستان های کوتاهش محدود نمی شوند. او در زمینه ی موسیقی جاز و پاپ هم کار کرده و برخی از سروده هایش برای خوانندگان صاحب نام، مشهور است. سام شپارد بازیگر سینما و تیاتر هم هست و در برخی از فیلم ها همچون "فرانسیس" یا "دیگه نیا دم در" (ویم وندرس) با همسرش "جسیکا لنگ" همبازی بوده است. سام شپارد هم چنین نقد تیاتر و سینما هم می نویسد و برخی از نقدهایش در مجلات مشهور انگلیسی زبان منتشر می شوند.
June 24, 2011
strange. at least it ended. carter is very naive, cowardly, stupid. nobody is really likeable. maybe rosie and kelly? sam doesn't really write strong women, or at least i haven't read strong women in this or buried child. so in terms of value towards me for finding good roles...little value. inherent value as a dramatic text? still limited. not really too compelling. vaguely interesting enough story line that wasn't too confusing to lose me (la turista) but not intriguing enough (buried child). i suppose cowboy mouth is in my future!
October 23, 2013
It was ok, nothing more. Though I love the way the plot unravels almost at the end (as always with Shepard), I did not find the characters compelling in any way. Maybe Cecilia. Certainly not Carter nor Vinnie nor Simms.
So just reading the play: 2 stars. I hope I will be able someday to see the play and change my review for the better.
So just reading the play: 2 stars. I hope I will be able someday to see the play and change my review for the better.
August 24, 2014
Boring play.
Simpatico centers around the same mysterious identities and dying-frontier metaphors that Shepard always trots out. The best that can be said for the story itself is that it's not as formless as you might expect.
Simpatico centers around the same mysterious identities and dying-frontier metaphors that Shepard always trots out. The best that can be said for the story itself is that it's not as formless as you might expect.
July 17, 2013
Just finished reading this play which I'll be seeing the first Sunday in August. Not entirely certain what it's all about. Guess you need a certain level of maturity which I must lack. Maybe seeing it performed will clear things up.
September 16, 2020
I love Shepard’s short stories (Motel Chronicles is one of my favourite collections) but this didn’t hit the spot for me. It might work better on the stage but generally left me pretty cold.
January 15, 2021
One of Shepard's longest plays is also one of his breeziest, and also might be the one least reliant on allusion and thematic heft to carry the day. This plays like a film noir, which I think speaks in no small part to the influence his work in Hollywood was having on his output.
The original cast is about as perfect as one could hope for, with Ed Harris and Fred Ward as the two leads, Marcia Gay Harden as the would-be "femme fatale" (a pointed inversion of the form), and James Gammon as the man (Simms/Ames) who seems to have this whole thing figured out. The way Vinnie and Carter gradually transform over the course of the proceedings recalls what Shepard was after with "True West," even if I'd argue the transformation's purpose here is a little more obtuse.
A note on Shepard's web site seems to indicate that this was written quickly, and it definitely reads that way. For good and for ill. At any rate, it's MUCH better than "States of Shock," which was his last theatrical production. The more I've thought back on that piece of work, the less I've found to appreciate about it.
The original cast is about as perfect as one could hope for, with Ed Harris and Fred Ward as the two leads, Marcia Gay Harden as the would-be "femme fatale" (a pointed inversion of the form), and James Gammon as the man (Simms/Ames) who seems to have this whole thing figured out. The way Vinnie and Carter gradually transform over the course of the proceedings recalls what Shepard was after with "True West," even if I'd argue the transformation's purpose here is a little more obtuse.
A note on Shepard's web site seems to indicate that this was written quickly, and it definitely reads that way. For good and for ill. At any rate, it's MUCH better than "States of Shock," which was his last theatrical production. The more I've thought back on that piece of work, the less I've found to appreciate about it.
May 31, 2020
Our pasts can either make or break our futures. Carter, Vinnie, and Simms all deal with theirs in different ways. Though in the end they are still tied together because of it. Whether horse racing or any other business there are always high and low held positions.Sometimes things work out other times not so well. And that's true for both sides of the coin, good and bad. A psychological play of who will outsmart who. Honestly? Read it and find out.
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March 28, 2022I don't really see the artistry in this. Every line of dialogue reads like a writer just trying to meet a page count.
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June 7, 2023plays are silly things
January 1, 2017
Not my favorite Shepard play but it was still one of the better plays I've read lately. Shepard continues to be a writer I'm interested in enough to seek out the majority of his work.
October 11, 2018
Sam Shepard is a genius and an American treasure. Not my favorite of his but I’m not complaining.
January 1, 2021
Not one of his best. There are some plays that keep me hooked throughout—this wasn’t one of them.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews