Broadway Play Comedy Original. It is a pretty dark play, but it's definitely worth reading. Zoo attendant Artie Shaughnessy dreams of being a successful songwriter. Bunny Flingus, a femme-fatale from Flushing (or thereabouts) is stirring things up in the quiet, unfulfilled life of aspiring songwriter Artie Shaughnessy. Such accidents occasionally occur near airports across the metro area. A number of years ago, just after 9/11, a terrible aeronautic tragedy took place. It is such a New York City play. Ronnie has clearly not been paid much attention over his life. Of course, I loved the play. So I decided to read this play because first I heard that they were doing a revival on Broadway with Jennifer Jason Leigh and then I was listening to a podcast where they mentioned that John Mahoney had won a Tony in the 80s and when I looked it up it was for this play...and this all happened within a week, so I thought that's coincidence. On Oct. 4, 1965, the day Pope Paul visits New York City, Bunny convinces Artie to call his old school buddy Billy Einhorn, a famous film director from Los Angeles, to finagle a job writing music for Billy's movies. That was a heavy one and I was waiting to be really really scarred but I was only sometimes really scarred. The play can be goofy, poignant, frustrating and just sad. Bananas, however, was never really heard whereas I was finally heard after being ill for years. In some ways the culture and flavor of the city are just as much characters as the people. I didn't think it was funny, even though I knew the spots where Guare was going for laughs. Refresh and try again. I like the theme of celebrity that Guare is clearly focused on. Read this first 100 years ago (ok only 45) for an English Lit class. On Oct. 4, 1965, the day Pope Paul visits New York City, Bunny convinces Artie to call his old school buddy Billy Einhorn, a famous film director from Los Angeles, to finagle a job writing music for Billy's movies. “I wanted to be a Bride of Christ but I guess now I'm a young divorcee.”, New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play (1971), This Just In: ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Is Seriously Bookish. Published Looking for some great streaming picks? With Swoosie Kurtz, John Mahoney, Christine Baranski, Julie Hagerty. It's often described as 'dark comedy' but I think I found a sadness in it beyond the bits that are meant to be darkly funny. Maybe Artie has accepted his fate as a failed lounge lizard. Didn't care much for the ending, though it made me laugh throughout. What his mistress, Bunny Flingus, who lives downstairs from his Queens apartment won't tell him -- and what his insane wife, Bananas, tries to get through to him -- is that Artie's songs stink.