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Orphans: A Play
A Best Revival Tony Award-nominated play starring Alec Baldwin. "A briskly entertaining, deeply affecting play. Darkly funny and moving."--USA Today
In a run-down house in North Philadelphia live two orphan brothers: the reclusive, sensitive Philip, sealed off in a world of StarKist tuna and Errol Flynn movies, and Treat, a violent pickpocket and thief. Into this ferocious and funny realm enters Harold, a mysterious, wealthy, middle-aged man who is kidnapped by Treat, but who soon turns the tables on the two brothers, changing forever the delicate power balance of their relationship. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, Orphans is a story of the universal love of a father for his son, and a son's need to live his own life.
Orphans is an international theatrical phenomenon and has been produced in almost every country in the world. It premiered in 1983 at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles, was subsequently produced by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, off-Broadway at the Westside Arts Theatre and in London, and was adapted for film, starring Albert Finney as Harold. The 2013 production marked the play's first Broadway presentation and inspired Alec Baldwin to say, "I have dreamed, for a long time, of doing this play with this director."
"Orphans has enduring appeal, its powerful theme of fathers and sons searching each other out. Alec Baldwin mines the vein of tenderness that lies deep in the play."--Variety
"Wickedly funny one minute and powerfully emotional the next. Kessler uses humor as a subversive force, making the shift into despair a visceral gut punch."--The Hollywood Reporter
"Keeps you transfixed."--New York Daily News
In a run-down house in North Philadelphia live two orphan brothers: the reclusive, sensitive Philip, sealed off in a world of StarKist tuna and Errol Flynn movies, and Treat, a violent pickpocket and thief. Into this ferocious and funny realm enters Harold, a mysterious, wealthy, middle-aged man who is kidnapped by Treat, but who soon turns the tables on the two brothers, changing forever the delicate power balance of their relationship. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, Orphans is a story of the universal love of a father for his son, and a son's need to live his own life.
Orphans is an international theatrical phenomenon and has been produced in almost every country in the world. It premiered in 1983 at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles, was subsequently produced by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, off-Broadway at the Westside Arts Theatre and in London, and was adapted for film, starring Albert Finney as Harold. The 2013 production marked the play's first Broadway presentation and inspired Alec Baldwin to say, "I have dreamed, for a long time, of doing this play with this director."
"Orphans has enduring appeal, its powerful theme of fathers and sons searching each other out. Alec Baldwin mines the vein of tenderness that lies deep in the play."--Variety
"Wickedly funny one minute and powerfully emotional the next. Kessler uses humor as a subversive force, making the shift into despair a visceral gut punch."--The Hollywood Reporter
"Keeps you transfixed."--New York Daily News
352 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1985
5 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 23, 2025
none of the characters are exactly lovable but the dynamics between each of them are what really draw you in. i think this play would be more moving seeing it live!
December 1, 2012
You know, I have to read a lot of plays. So I think perhaps I will start counting those plays as books for the purposes of my 2012 total count, because when I want to be reading books, I am often instead reading photocopies of plays. So. Orphans. Coming to Broadway in Spring 2013 starring Alec Baldwin!
January 25, 2023
I love this play. I saw the original production done in NYC in 1985 with Terry Kinney, Kevin Anderson, and John Mahoney, directed by Gary Sinise. The production was so great. Very Steppenwolf.
August 27, 2025
“It’s amazing, how people stop struggling once there’s a little blood.”
These poor boys. Loved this immensely. Wonderful, broken characters.
“I love violent tempers.”
It’s the effects of what growing up not knowing what love is can and will do to you. The approval we need from others; the SAFETY we need from people older than us — the ones that should’ve guided us, nurtured us, and most importantly, loved us.
“You have a simple faith, Phillip. I admire a man with a simple faith.”
The last scene between Treat and Phillip… gonna say this here but I want to do that, mayhaps, in my last year at Stella in one of my Scene Study classes. Boy, that’d be wonderful.
Really enjoyed this read. Heartbreaking. Sad. Those boys really just need a hug.
These poor boys. Loved this immensely. Wonderful, broken characters.
“I love violent tempers.”
It’s the effects of what growing up not knowing what love is can and will do to you. The approval we need from others; the SAFETY we need from people older than us — the ones that should’ve guided us, nurtured us, and most importantly, loved us.
“You have a simple faith, Phillip. I admire a man with a simple faith.”
The last scene between Treat and Phillip… gonna say this here but I want to do that, mayhaps, in my last year at Stella in one of my Scene Study classes. Boy, that’d be wonderful.
Really enjoyed this read. Heartbreaking. Sad. Those boys really just need a hug.
February 27, 2021
A play that is popping with humour, depth and characters that we truly care for, I wish theatre was as unpretentious and honest more often, as Orphans is.
Treat & Philip’s relationship is beautifully developed over the course of these brief 80 pages, the parts are so beautifully written that any type of actor could add their own unique twist to it. Harold is more specific, but that brilliantly adds him in as a unique conflict for these brothers.
A truly wonderful play that is heartfelt and fun.
Treat & Philip’s relationship is beautifully developed over the course of these brief 80 pages, the parts are so beautifully written that any type of actor could add their own unique twist to it. Harold is more specific, but that brilliantly adds him in as a unique conflict for these brothers.
A truly wonderful play that is heartfelt and fun.
January 2, 2023
A random reading start to 2023–a short, provocative, thoughtful and funny play. This one comes from #theunreadshelf and I can’t for the life of me figure out what made me pick it up in the first place. A mere 79 pages of what feels like a character study of two brothers living in Philadelphia-one is sensitive and naive never venturing outside and the other is a violent thief trying to provide for his brother and protect him in extreme and manipulative ways. Enter an unexpected father like figure who mentors these two boys in strange but sweet ways.
April 27, 2025
LATW version. A dramedy leaning comedy about two underdeveloped brothers and their petty crime getting them swept up with a rich conman (?) who for some reason takes them under his wing. The plot has a dreamlike quality in not really making sense, but the characters were compelling (carried by some strong performances) enough to draw you in and want answers. The main weakness is leaving things so unresolved.
October 29, 2019
Really interesting work. Wanna see it on stage!
April 26, 2020
TREAT I kidnapped you! Who’s in control here!
HAROLD That depends. (He freshens up his drink.)
HAROLD That depends. (He freshens up his drink.)
April 4, 2023
The ending is every bit as tragic as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliette.
January 31, 2016
I read this with the focus that I might get the opportunity to play Harold, one of the three characters. I found the play a marvelous triangle of mixed expectations and misplaced assumptions. Without going into the ending, Harold has a dramatic arc that is really quite complex (and Treat and Philip do too). Sufficiently complex to be the kind of play that will have you leaving a performance wanting to go to a coffee shop and talk about it for another hour.
May 14, 2013
Orphans is currently playing on Broadway and was in the news so I wanted to read it and see what it was all about. If a local playhouse staged this drama, I'd go see it. It's about a pair of small time grifter brothers who are mentored by another criminal.
February 8, 2023
“Orphans” is a fantastic play about a pair of brothers living in a rundown house in Philadelphia and how their lives change when they meet a business man from Chicago. Fantastic dialogue, gritty and layered characters, this is wonderful drama.
June 26, 2015
Heartbreaking and simply beautiful. A must read for everyone!
December 25, 2017
I don’t understand this play. I acted in it as Harold, who is a complete enigma to me. The characters oscillate between dramatic and absurd, and it gets melodramatic really quickly. Harold in the play and as a father figure was not working for me.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews