Wild and crazy night!
Rizzo | Denver, CO | 05/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Many may know the author, Arkady Leokum, as one who writes "Tel Me Why" childrens' books. As a playwright, Leukom has written the humorous short play "Enemies".
"Neighbors" is mostly one-on-one dialogue which doesn't entail any grand or lengthy monologues. The 70s performance is a television cast with veteran actor Andrew Duggan, Jane Wyatt (Father Knows Best), actress Cicely Tyson and Raymond St. Jacques (Roots). The scene takes place in the living room of a nice suburban New York home.
A well-to-do elderly white couple, Chuck and Mary, prepare for a visit to their home from prospective buyers, a young, also well-to-do, black couple, Bill and Vicky, from Harlem. Bill and Vicky's reason for buying into a "lily-white" neighborhood is for the schools, to buy their children an education. That's it!
Owners Chuck and Mary Robinson are stay-at-homes who thrive on community social involvement and indirectly, they lead the black couple to believe that involvement and responsibility to the community is the "thing" to do.
On the other hand, perspective buyer, Bill, a salesman, is a world traveler, and not home much, and he is confident with himself. Vicky is a Soul Sister who does for herself, has a maid, gets her nails and hair done, shops, and is strictly into being a w-o-m-a-n for her man. Bill and Vicky have absolutely no interest in community involvement.
The action begins after looking around the home and chatting about themselves. The sale is made and things get crazy when the black couple assumes that the white couple suggests "they behave like whites and get involved in the community"!
This short play is great! ....Rizzo
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