Fuddy Meers
Encyclopedia
Fuddy Meers is an American
play
by David Lindsay-Abaire
. It tells the story of an amnesia
c, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate
on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life. One morning Claire is abducted by a limping, lisp
ing man who claims her husband wants to kill her. The audience views the ensuing mayhem through the kaleidoscope
of Claire's world. The play culminates in a cacophony of revelations, proving that everything is not what it appears to be.
The play's title "Fuddy Meers" is Gertie's attempt to pronounce the phrase "funny mirrors".
Zach, who reveals he is Claire's brother, takes her to their mother Gertie's house. Gertie is not fond of Zach but cannot say why because of her aphasia
. While there, Claire meets Millet, a kind man with an apparent mental disability and a bad-mouthed puppet
. It is revealed that Millet and Zach have escaped from prison, although why they were brought to prison remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, Richard takes Kenny to search for Claire. He is pulled over by Heidi and takes her gun, bringing her with him and Kenny as they travel to Gertie's house. But in the meantime Millet – through his puppet – has told Claire about how her husband used to beat her, and she wants nothing to do with Richard. She has also found out that the real Zach, her brother, is dead. As Richard, Kenny and Heidi are entering the house, Claire does not know whom to trust. Gertie takes advantage of the opportunity and stabs Limping Man.
In the ensuing chaos, Kenny is shot in the arm with Heidi's gun and a flurry of revelations come forth. Limping Man is in fact Phil, Claire's abusive ex-husband, while Richard is her new husband. Richard has a criminal past and had framed Millet for stealing an expensive ring. Heidi meanwhile turns out to be a prison
cook
who met Phil during his time in prison. Claire's world (as well as that of the audience) becomes increasingly clear with each new revelation as she regains more and more of her memory and realizes she is responsible for Limping Man's deformities
.
Ultimately, Limping Man's plans are foiled by his love for Claire. We find that Heidi was posing as a police officer to stop Richard and Kenny from reaching Claire, but when Limping Man professes his love for Claire, Heidi turns her back on him. Millet leaves to clear his name, Heidi and Limping Man presumably go to jail, Gertie is safe, and Richard, Kenny and Claire leave in Richard's car. The final act reveals yet another twist.
As Claire talks about updating her memory book, Kenny's negative attitude towards Richard becomes more understandable when the true nature of Claire and Richard's relationship is revealed. Kenny tells of how Richard worked at the hospital
where Claire was staying and proposed to her on a daily basis, taking advantage of her memory loss. Apparently, in his attempt to reform his criminal past, he was desperate for companionship; however, all that matters for Claire is that the trio are a family now.
among its proponents. However, while critics were pleased with the humorous content, it was accused of relying too heavily on coincidences and leaving too many "loose ends". Despite this, some critics, such as a reviewer for the New York Observer
, went so far as to proclaim Lindsay-Abaire a "comic genius"; five years after its debut, it had been produced at over 200 venues across the United States
. It also earned several awards during this initial run, including the John Gassner Playwrighting Award, and Lindsay-Abaire received a Heilpern Award for Most Promising Dramatist in 1999.
Reactions were mixed when Sam Mendes
launched his flagship production company, Scamp, with the first British
production of the play. One review in The Guardian
pointed to Arsenic and Old Lace
and You Can't Take It with You
as examples that Americans (in his opinion) had a tradition of works "in which wackiness was a sign of liberating individualism", but that "...it means little to us here." The play also debuted in a traditionally weak theatre season for London
's West End
and it closed after only three weeks. Though Fuddy Meers was later produced elsewhere in the UK, it never saw the same success it had seen in North America.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
by David Lindsay-Abaire
David Lindsay-Abaire
David Lindsay-Abaire is an American playwright and lyricist. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 for his play Rabbit Hole, which also earned several Tony Award nominations.-Early life and education:...
. It tells the story of an amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
c, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate
Tabula rasa
Tabula rasa is the epistemological theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception. Generally proponents of the tabula rasa thesis favour the "nurture" side of the nature versus nurture debate, when it comes to aspects...
on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life. One morning Claire is abducted by a limping, lisp
Lisp
A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp...
ing man who claims her husband wants to kill her. The audience views the ensuing mayhem through the kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
of Claire's world. The play culminates in a cacophony of revelations, proving that everything is not what it appears to be.
The play's title "Fuddy Meers" is Gertie's attempt to pronounce the phrase "funny mirrors".
Characters
As described in the script of the play:- Claire – about forty, a generally sunny woman with amnesia.
- Richard – about forty, a chatty, friendly, sometimes nervous man.
- Kenny – seventeen, a troubled teen.
- Limping Man – about forty, lisping, limping, half-blind, half-deaf man with secrets.
- Gertie – sixties, a clear-headed lady who's had a stroke and can't speak properly.
- Millet – thirties or forties, an odd man with a puppet.
- Heidi – thirties or forties, a tough woman in uniform.
Synopsis
Claire awakens one morning to discover that she is married to a man named Richard and has a son, Kenny, who has an attitude problem. She learns she has a "psychogenic" form of amnesia, and Richard has prepared a book about her life after re-explaining everything so many times. Everything is as it seems until Zach, or "Limping Man" as he is referred to in the script, appears from under the bed. He claims he is there to rescue Claire and that Richard wants to kill her.Zach, who reveals he is Claire's brother, takes her to their mother Gertie's house. Gertie is not fond of Zach but cannot say why because of her aphasia
Aphasia
Aphasia is an impairment of language ability. This class of language disorder ranges from having difficulty remembering words to being completely unable to speak, read, or write....
. While there, Claire meets Millet, a kind man with an apparent mental disability and a bad-mouthed puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
. It is revealed that Millet and Zach have escaped from prison, although why they were brought to prison remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, Richard takes Kenny to search for Claire. He is pulled over by Heidi and takes her gun, bringing her with him and Kenny as they travel to Gertie's house. But in the meantime Millet – through his puppet – has told Claire about how her husband used to beat her, and she wants nothing to do with Richard. She has also found out that the real Zach, her brother, is dead. As Richard, Kenny and Heidi are entering the house, Claire does not know whom to trust. Gertie takes advantage of the opportunity and stabs Limping Man.
In the ensuing chaos, Kenny is shot in the arm with Heidi's gun and a flurry of revelations come forth. Limping Man is in fact Phil, Claire's abusive ex-husband, while Richard is her new husband. Richard has a criminal past and had framed Millet for stealing an expensive ring. Heidi meanwhile turns out to be a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
cook
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who met Phil during his time in prison. Claire's world (as well as that of the audience) becomes increasingly clear with each new revelation as she regains more and more of her memory and realizes she is responsible for Limping Man's deformities
Deformity
A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major difference in the shape of body part or organ compared to the average shape of that part.Deformity may arise from numerous causes:*A Genetic mutation*Damage to the fetus or uterus...
.
Ultimately, Limping Man's plans are foiled by his love for Claire. We find that Heidi was posing as a police officer to stop Richard and Kenny from reaching Claire, but when Limping Man professes his love for Claire, Heidi turns her back on him. Millet leaves to clear his name, Heidi and Limping Man presumably go to jail, Gertie is safe, and Richard, Kenny and Claire leave in Richard's car. The final act reveals yet another twist.
As Claire talks about updating her memory book, Kenny's negative attitude towards Richard becomes more understandable when the true nature of Claire and Richard's relationship is revealed. Kenny tells of how Richard worked at the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
where Claire was staying and proposed to her on a daily basis, taking advantage of her memory loss. Apparently, in his attempt to reform his criminal past, he was desperate for companionship; however, all that matters for Claire is that the trio are a family now.
Reception
Lindsay-Abaire's first play, Fuddy Meers, debuted at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 1999 in an acclaimed production directed by David Petrarca to a sold-out audience and mostly positive critical reactions, with the New York Times, New York Magazine and VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
among its proponents. However, while critics were pleased with the humorous content, it was accused of relying too heavily on coincidences and leaving too many "loose ends". Despite this, some critics, such as a reviewer for the New York Observer
New York Observer
The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
, went so far as to proclaim Lindsay-Abaire a "comic genius"; five years after its debut, it had been produced at over 200 venues across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It also earned several awards during this initial run, including the John Gassner Playwrighting Award, and Lindsay-Abaire received a Heilpern Award for Most Promising Dramatist in 1999.
Reactions were mixed when Sam Mendes
Sam Mendes
Samuel Alexander "Sam" Mendes, CBE is an English stage and film director. He is best known for his Academy Award-winning work on his debut film American Beauty and his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret , Oliver! , Company and Gypsy . He's currently working on the 23rd James Bond...
launched his flagship production company, Scamp, with the first British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
production of the play. One review in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
pointed to Arsenic and Old Lace
Arsenic and Old Lace (play)
Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. It has become best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust, and opened on January 10, 1941. On September 25, 1943, the...
and You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You is a comedic play in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The original production of the play opened at the Booth Theater on December 14, 1936, and played for 837 performances...
as examples that Americans (in his opinion) had a tradition of works "in which wackiness was a sign of liberating individualism", but that "...it means little to us here." The play also debuted in a traditionally weak theatre season for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
and it closed after only three weeks. Though Fuddy Meers was later produced elsewhere in the UK, it never saw the same success it had seen in North America.