Chapter Two (play)
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Los Angeles
| Chapter Two | |
|---|---|
 Playbill cover | |
| Written by | Neil Simon |
| Date premiered | October 7, 1977 |
| Place premiered | Ahmanson Theatre Los Angeles |
| Subject | A writer struggles to escape the memory of his recently deceased wife |
| Genre | Comedy-drama |
Chapter Two is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon. The play premiered on Broadway in 1977, where it ran for 857 performances.
According to Sheridan Morley, "This was in some ways the turning-point for Simon, the moment when he started to use his own life as something more than an excuse for a gag-fest. It was written as a tribute to Marsha Mason, his second wife, and her tolerance with his long-lasting grief over the death of his first wife...There is something very painful here, in among the gags, about a man trying to come to terms with death rather than a new life."[1]
Overview
The play focuses on a recently widowed writer, George Schneider, who is introduced by his press agent brother to soap opera actress Jennie Malone. Jennie's marriage to a football player has dissolved after six years. Both are uncertain of their readiness to start dating and developing a new romance when her breakup is so recent and he still has recurring memories of his deceased wife, Barbara.
Neil Simon's first wife, Joan Baim, died in 1973.
