Rabbit Hole

by David Lindsay-Abaire

A story of loss, heartbreak and forgiveness—told through daily moments and emotional hurdles—as a family moves on after the accidental death of their 4-year-old. After a critically acclaimed Broadway premier and successful film adaptation (starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, and Diane West), Rabbit Hole has been hailed as an artistic breakthrough for the highly regarded Lindsay-Abaire. A drama of what comes after tragedy, it captures “the awkwardness and pain of thinking people faced with an unthinkable situation—and eventually, their capacity for survival.” -USA Today

David Lindsay-Abaire is the Pulitzer-winning author of Rabbit Hole, which was made into a feature film. He is the author of Good People, Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World, A Devil Inside and Kimberly Akimbo, as well as the book and lyrics to Shrek the Musical. He has written the screenplays for Rabbit Hole, Rise of the Guardians and Oz: The Great and Powerful. Born in South Boston, he now lives in Brooklyn.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Theatre, Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Grief

157 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

David Lindsay-Abaire is an American playwright and lyricist. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 for his play, Rabbit Hole.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much anticipation when I started out to read this. So many glowing reviews, a Pulitzer Prize, a very good playwright... and I finished it with a sighed, "Eh."

The writing was crisp, clear. THe characters seemed to be real people working through grief in their idividual ways. And that, is what the play is about...how we work through grief, to keep living when a loved one isn't.

Of course the loved one had to be a child. The grief for a child is so much more different than the grief for a parent.

But as I read this, I couldn't help but wonder why I was reading it. Why would I want to see this? I don't think that it explored anything new, or even touched on anything old in a new way. It was, as many have labeled it, a slice of realism.

But why is that important? I can stop in at the local church during a funeral to see realism. I can walk through my home town the day after the flood and experience the realism of grief.

This play didn't do anything for me. Sorry.

[Michael Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was first thinking of "Rabbit Hole"'s title, I felt that it wasn't really appropriate. But then I realized that when I was thinking about the phrase "down the rabbit hole", I was thinking of some fantastic adventure like one that would be experienced in "Alice In Wonderland". When I thought about it more, I realized that David Lindsay-Abaire's play was probably even more deserving of the phrase than the adventures experienced by Alice. For starters, the rabbit hole in this play is sudden and shocking, as a rabbit hole should be (I should know because I've tripped in one before). In this case, the tragedy experienced by the Corbett family comes without warning and, much like that other famous rabbit hole, completely twists their logic inside out. The impact of the tragedy is made just as surprising for the audience as it is for the characters, as they are only given a slight warning before they find themselves steeped within the family's tragedy.

What makes this rabbit hole different from others is the effect it has on the characters of this play. Unlike Alice, the place where this rabbit hole leads the family is not the one these characters can wake up from. Even if the characters did have the option to wake up and forget the events that so changed their lives, they would not wish to. And indeed, the option to forget or cling to the tragedy is an important piece of this play, as the characters struggle to think of what they should keep and what they must let go. But in the end, what this play really shows is a family that must struggle to not necessarily overcome their differences, but rather try to ignore them for a moment so they can lift themselves out of the rabbit hole they fell into and move on. But unlike most simple encounters with rabbit holes, this family will never be able to fully heal from what they lost, and it is Lindsay-Abaire's ability to show this that really causes this play to shine.

[Repix Pix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dolor, ira, tristeza y la necesidad de seguir adelante y recuperarse de una pérdida muy traumática.
Una maravillosa obra teatral.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't really mean to read this play. After noticing that it was going to be performed at a local theatre, I stumbled upon a PDF copy online and couldn't stop reading. The story blossoms gradually, petal by petal, giving the reader a clear understanding of the questions posed: Is there a "correct" way to grieve? How can we communicate with our loved ones if our methods of coping differ dramatically?

The scenes are amazingly easy to visualize and hear. Every line of dialogue is spoken by a real human voice and fizzles with tension. As in Tennessee Williams' plays, I felt constantly on edge, my blood pressure rising. That might be an uncomfortable experience for some, but I reveled in the authenticity of the characters' struggles and reactions. So much is said in what goes unsaid. Rabbit Hole presents no easy answers—only the hard questions we may someday face ourselves.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was living in New York, the best thing about my time there was seeing great non-musical plays. Ever since college, I've been heading into the city and going on these whirlwind tours of Broadway musicals, easily packing five shows into one weekend. When I moved there and started working in the industry, I had the opportunity to see LOTS of non-musical shows both on Broadway and off, and I realized how truly fantastic these shows can be. I've always been a fan of theater in any form, but I never felt the compunction to go out and pay a huge amount of money for a non-musical show. Since I left New York, I'm better about seeing these shows in Boston and occasionally in New York when I have the chance, but now with kids my trips to the theater (especially in New York) are incredibly limited and I've lapsed again in my "straight play" adventures.

Reading Rabbit Hole though totally reminded me how great these plays can be. It's a really simple piece focusing on the aftermath of a family losing a young child to an hapless accident. The setting takes place actually in the time following the typical "grieving period" that immediately follows the death. I think I find myself so attracted to this setting because having lost my mother over a year ago, that period after everyone stops asking how you're doing and after you are "expected" to talk about your loss is really the most devastating as you consider what to do with yourself and how to cope with the vacancy inside of you. And then also, I'm going on two plus years as a father now, so the idea of losing a four-year-old is both incredibly unimaginable and entirely real. So for these reasons I think I was especially in tune with the subject.

Knowing the original cast of actors fairly well helped in imagining how great the original production likely was. Cynthia Nixon and John Slattery are two of my favorites, and imagining them as this bereaved couple struggling to reinvent their marriage when they suddenly find themselves childless helped to realize the intent of the piece.

I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan of David Lindsay-Abaire in what I've read and seen of his work, but this changed my perception of that. The other pieces I know by him are pretty light, and this carried such a sincere weight. There are moments of levity amidst this weight, and I think that holds so true to actual experience. Again, the setting focuses on the extended time period that follows that initial grieving process, and humor is such a necessary and appropriate coping mechanism. And with these humorous points are coupled some truly brilliant assertions about loss. At one point, the protagonist's mother (who has also lost a son in her lifetime, although an adult one) says, "At some point the [weight of loss:] becomes bearable. It turns into something you can crawl out form under. And carry around--like a brick in your pocked. And you forget every once in a while, but then you reach in for whatever reason there it is: 'Oh right. That.' Which can be awful. But not all the time. Sometimes it's kinda...Not that you like it exactly, but it's what you have instead of your son, so you don't wanna let go of it either. So you carry it around. And it doesn't go away, which is...fine...actually." So true.

I'm teaching this play this fall as part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning literature seminar for a select group of students, and I think this is going to make a brilliant addition to our slate!

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read more reviews like this over at my blog, Living Is Reading!

Since I recently lost my grandfather a little over two months ago, I decided that Rabbit Hole would be an interesting read, and something that I wouldn’t have too much difficulty connecting to. Apparently, I was right in that assumption, since even though this is a short read, it’s still a worthwhile read, and has me interested enough in checking out the movie adaptation starring Nicole Kidman.

Now, plays aren’t my natural reading selection. I generally stick with novels - no manga, no comic books (okay, I read the occasional graphic novel - occasional), just books. Still, I recently developed an interest in checking a play out from the library, see if it was something that I would continue reading, and I think that it’s an experiment worth investing more time into. This is a short read, clocking in at only 61 pages, and basically all of it is dialogue with a line or two here and there giving you a brief description of movements the characters make to help you visualize the scenery around you.

The characters are pretty realistic here - we have Nan, Izzy, Jason, and our two main characters, the grieving parents, Becca and Howie. They all have emotional baggage, grief, and backstories, and they all seem to have layers of depth to them, particularly the main character of all, Becca. Pain, anger, sadness, and a simple need to move on and recover from a traumatic event in her life.

Honestly, this whole story was just so sad, yet so true, and I was able to connect with these people on so many levels. Perhaps if I hadn’t lost my grandpa I might not be able to connect so much, but I was able to, and that just made this an even quicker, even more emotional read for me. I don’t know if loss inspired David Lindsay-Abaire to write this (I imagine that it would), but whatever he did, he did right.

So, for anyone who has suffered a devastating loss, than this is the book (or play I suppose) for you. I know that it was a worthwhile experience for me.

[Tung · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2007 Pulitzer-winner for Best Drama, this play is a marvelous meditation on grief and the different ways people can cope (or not cope) with their loss. Becca and Howie Corbett lose their four-year-old son in a tragic accident, and the play is a series of scenes in their life eight months later. Howie puts up a façade where he copes with his grief by regularly attending group therapy and trying to move on with his life. We see in one scene, however, when his wife is upstairs, he sneaks out a home video of their son and watches it silently by himself. Becca, on the other hand, lashes out at her husband, mother (Nat), and sister (Izzy) as they attempt to help her discuss her emotions. In one scene, Nat tries to relate to her by sharing how she felt when her son (Becca’s brother) died, and Becca calls her out on the comparison, implying that no one understands her grief and no one grieves the same way. The basic premise of parents coping with the loss of a young child is covered in many movies and books, but few allow the emotions to simmer and fester and boil over without resolution as this play does. The author actually includes a note to future casts attempting to put on his play with directions “to avoid sentimentality”, to “resist adding [tears:]” unless they are specifically called for, and to avoid “extra embracing, or holding of hands. Avoid resolution at all costs. It’s not that kind of play.” And because it doesn’t try to wrap things up tidily, or deal with everyone’s emotions in a canned or ham-handed way, the rawness of the emotions of the characters feels real, and strikes a chord with anyone who has ever dealt with the loss of a loved one. The dialogue is sharp and quick, with no overly wordy monologues, and Lindsay-Abaire breaks up the sadness with seriously funny lines and incisive retorts throughout. It’s simply a superb play, and one of my top books of the year.

[Gloria Guthrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is only average in my opinion. It has a few good dramatic moments in it. There are certain parts of it that just really bored me.

[Marisa Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a class. Really sad. How are you supposed to handle grief? And can you really judge and hate others for how they handle it? Also the metaphors of Becca baking all those treats and then finally eating someone else’s dessert at the end was gorgeous

[Mad Dog · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play EVOKES much sadness and STIMULATES much thinking (how would I act if I was in the scenes of this play). In that way, this play is hugely impactful. This play shows five different perspectives on tragedy (the death of a four year old son) that are fairly different from each other, giving many readers something concrete to latch onto in his/her own thinking. I focused most on husband/wife perspectives (the main perspectives) as I am a husband and a father.


And this play was really sad in the way that the family (especially the husband and wife) are not providing much comfort to each other. They are essentially suffering alone. And the implication is that they were not really 'there for each other' before the tragedy. So this play is ultimately pretty stark and cynical, but it rings true.

The author briefly provides an interesting Rabbit Hole metaphor/concept that may be of comfort to some grieving people. This concept theorizes that (since the galaxy is infinite) that somewhere exists parallel versions of ourselves that are living happier lives. This is an interesting concept, and is stimulating much thinking in me. But I find more comfort in God than 'the Rabbit Hole' (not that these ideas are necessarily mutually exclusive). This Rabbit Hole idea did provide comfort to two of the characters. The wife/mother accepted this Rabbit Hole concept after vehemently rejecting God as comfort. Does this Rabbit Hole concept also imply that there are parallel versions of ourselves living sadder lives?


I don't think this play went beyond 'evoking' and 'stimulating'. The conversations do not bristle with dynamic back and forth. The characters seem kind of stuck in their roles. From experience, 'let us really talk about it' 'conversations' between husband and wife are full of back of forth where the roles often change and many different emotions are evoked. Different 'roles' include aggressor, defender, blamer, victim, 'know-it-all', comforter, arguer, cooperator, etc. I have been all of these roles in a single husband-wife conversations. It gets 'crazy', but this play never gets 'crazy'. Perhaps that is the point (emotions are pent-up without being released) but 'pent-up' does not typically make interesting reading.

So ultimately the most entertaining act is the 'Final Act', the one that goes on in your own mind as you think about this play.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad play, consisting of sparsely written dialogue, manages to understatedly convey the range of emotions humans experience when grieving and how different people grieve in different ways. In this story, Howie and Becca are a married couple whose son was killed when he ran out into the street chasing their dog and was struck by a car. The play begins sometime after the accident and casts a lens on how Howie and Becca are coping with their drastically altered lives. There is a supporting cast of Liz, a "screwed-up" sister to Becca, and Becca's mother, Nat. Jason, the boy who was driving the car in the accident, also enters, wanting to meet with the parents to somehow make amends. It's realistic, humorous and ultimately deeply moving. The author calls for a restrained play in his postscript at end of the book, and ultimately it is a restrained and nuanced work, a study in grief true to real life. I felt my own range of emotions while reading, alternating between sympathy and anger and understanding at each person. We all know these types of people and the things that they say. The book takes place throughout several scenes and time periods but always in the same house and even though it is such a sad subject, it's moving to see how with time, people can heal and grow.

There is quite a bit of off-color language, particularly of the religious type with certain names being taken in vain, which really bothers me.


Favorite Quote:
"...The weight of it, I guess. At some point it becomes bearable. It turns into something you can crawl out from under. And carry it around-like a brick in your pocket. And you forget it every once in a while, but then you reach in for whatever reason and there it is: "Oh right, THAT." Which can be awful. But not all the time." -Nat talking about grief

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a play revolving around a couple who has lost their child. I wouldn't call this a fun read. Actually, it's not a great play to READ in general. My opinion is that much of this play would be dependent on the acting, the emotion and restrained emotion, subtle tensions, pauses and nuances. The dialogue itself isn't going to grab you unless you can picture the feeling behind it. I would love to see this play. I actually went down a Youtube rabbit hole (sorry) trying to find clips of the original John Slattery and Cynthia Nixon NY production, but I was unsuccessful. I appreciated the book telling me who played who in the original cast so I could picture them and the talent they must have brought to the material. Despite this work not lending itself to a blind read, I thought it was really well done, the dialogue was realistic and it never bordered on treacly, despite the heartbreaking subject matter.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline is simple and there are no great eruptions to signal the climax of the couple's grief. But that's what I really liked about this play. It takes courage to deal with something as abstract as another person's grief, and certainly something as complicated as grief over the death of a child. I started to read the playwright's note to directors and actors but stopped because its tone seemed self-defensive. A simple plot in the theatre can be moving, and I found this one to be so, and is worthy of our attention as readers and as audience.

[Yasamin Rezai · Rating 5 out of 5]

دلم می خواد بشینم دو صفحه کامل راج ب این نمایشنامه و آدماش و دردشون و در عین حال شوخ-طبعی شون و فاصله هاشون و طعنه هاشون و گریه های نکرده شون بنویسم ...
اما جاش ترجیح می دم خیلی قاطع ؛خوندنش رو بهتون پیشنهاد کنم

[Sofia Brito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional. Heart-breaking! Every character stays with you become part of your world because it could be your friend, a family member or your next door neighbour. A fabulous play about loss, bereavement and new beginnings.

[Anastasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmmmm.... I'd have to see this produced well to really gauge its potential. I appreciate that the story handles a sad family without sentimentality but the plot's simplicity left me wanting more.

[Ben Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a reread of this play since I will be watching the film adaptation soon, but this play while very straight forward and simplistic, there is so much complexity hidden within the words and the actions of the characters that reminds me why I’m a fan of David Lindsay-Abaire. This time around, I noticed some interesting things that I didn’t contemplate previously (the use of desserts/ how Becca loses her temper at everyone except for Jason/ the other hints at Howies affair etc.) which made me appreciate the writing/ narrative choices in this a lot more. I could talk about this a lot more but overall, it’s a truthful, witty, and poignant story that is one of David Lindsay- Abaires most notable works (next to Shrek the musical of course lol)

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never have I read a play with so much tension in my life. Howie and Becca have lost their child. Now, months after the tragedy, they're slowly unraveling as they finally come to terms with their grief.

What I liked about this play was the depth there is to each character. There isn't a bad role in this play, there's so much to discover and use. The tension though makes for a difficult play to perform...or to watch. You have to be emotionally prepared for the roller coaster.

[Masteatro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un maravilloso texto teatral lleno de sensibilidad acerca de cómo cada persona pasa el duelo por la pérdida de un familiar de una manera distinta y todas son igualmente válidas.

[Anthony Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very bleak play about mourning that's well worth the read. I'm not sure I'd want to see it performed though.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

an odd, rough, lumpy play about grief that felt like a bunch of threads that threatened to knot but never quite worked out how to do it

[Ashton Showers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Thanks to gf for being cool and getting me a play.

[Kay :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. thisssssss, this is THEATRE. Playwright’s note at the end is really one of my favorite parts, i think the placement of it at the end is very powerful. one of my new fave plays!!! for SURE.

[Ava Magoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

couldn’t stop picturing miranda as becca

[Gabi Aharonov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone (can't remember who) recommended this to me, and the entire time I had a feeling that I had read it before- and it turns out I did! It was worth the (re)read, especially since the emotional depth became more poignant now that I have children. Complex, relatable, thought provoking.

[Samantha Shroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time actually reading through the whole play. It's so good.

[kendra]

if i had a dollar for the number of times i’ve read something with a rabbit themed title in the year of our lord 2023, i’d have $3. which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened thrice.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreakingly beautiful. Lindsay-Abaire deserved the Pulitzer for this.

[grace o’brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Dogs chase squirrels. Boys chase dogs.”

[Si Squires-Kasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the Jason and Becca scene performed in a workshop during my freshman year of college. Lindsay-Abaire gives his actors a lot to do, and I understand the show’s popularity and could even imagine being moved by the right actors. However, kitchen-sink naturalism is not something I’m generally interested in, and a lot of the dialogue and pacing seem purposefully boring in a way that turned me off.