Waiting For Lefty
by Clifford Odets

Name: Waiting For Lefty
Brand: Clifford Odets
SKU: 9780822212157
Rating: 3.38 (961 reviews)

BroadwayOff-West End

Waiting For Lefty Book Cover — Waiting For Lefty Cover

Highlights

Small Cast

Female

Male

One Act75 mins1930sBare Stage/Simple SetPeriod CostumesAmerican

What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the relevance of the themes in this play, particularly those related to labor issues and the struggle of the working class. Many find it thought-provoking and compelling, especially in today's political climate. However, some reviewers feel that the script lacks depth and characterization, making it less engaging on the page. Overall, it evokes strong sentiments and has moments of humor and poignancy that resonate with audiences.

Relevant to today's political climateThought-provoking labor issuesStrong emotional scenesWell-structured for stagingLacks depth and characterization

Synopsis

The drama Waiting for Lefty is a series of scenes that blend into a powerful mosaic of the American working class.

We begin in a hiring hall where a union leader (obviously on the payroll of the bosses) is trying to convince a committee of workers not to strike – as they await their leader (Lefty) to arrive.

Through flashback and vignette, we then visit a discouraged taxi driver in confrontation with his wife, who wants him to show some backbone and stand up to his employer; an employee promised a major promotion in exchange for spying on a fellow worker; a young cabbie and his would-be bride who lack the wherewithal to get married; and a senior doctor charged with dismissing a bright, promising intern.

All together, this look at the American working class of the 1930s is considered one of the most celebrated and significant plays of mid-century American theatre.

Press Reviews

"It has not been announced just where and when Waiting for Lefty will be presented again, but you can rest assured that it will be... soon. A play like this does not die."
— The Morning Telegraph

"Can revolutions in small rooms still happen today? Premiering at the pinnacle of the Great Depression, Clifford Odets’ Waiting for Lefty was an overnight sensation, galvanizing a weary middle-class to take control of their destinies, and effecting a theatrical and political upheaval."
— Theatermania

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Gunman	—	—	—
Joe	—	—	—
Edna	—	—	—
Miller	—	—	—
Fayette	—	—	—
Florence	—	—	—
Irv	—	—	—
Sid	—	—	—
Clayton	—	—	—
A Man	—	—	—
Dr. Barnes	—	—	—
Dr. Benjamin	—	—	—
Agate Keller	—	—	—
Voices/Other Men	—	—	—
Fatt	—	—	—