While I didn't enjoy this one the best, I think it may be better structured then my favorite, which is Uncommon Women. We follow Janie from high school feminist to to successful art historian and mother, twenty years later, where she's still a feminist (I feel that's important to add because those things aren't mutually exclusive.) The play covers the changing roles of women throughout certain decades, and the changing role of feminists, and how feminism changed - another social movement/civil rights thing gets touched upon when Peter comes out as gay but I feel that generally is a side note to the main themes. Really hope that someday soon I'll get to see this live.

The Heidi Chronicles is a coming of age novel that leaves the reader feeling empty, disappointed and more than a little depressed. The main character comes of age during a time of change and movement from the time spanning the 1960's-to the early 90's. With all of this change surrounding her Heidi feels compelled to action and finds herself fiercely advocating for the representation of women in art. However through all of this she finds herself lonely and unfulfilled. Her romantic life center mainly around two men, Peter Patron and Scoop Rosenbaum, however each one has a surprise for her.

Besides the fact that I hated the main character the story itself was pretty good I guess. GUESS being the operative word. The play is a disjointed mess, that lacked the fluidity which most readers (or viewers) need in order to keep up with the story. The so called "witty banter" reeked of forced artsyness and I felt an extreme disappointment that this play had won awards and was considered great American writing.

But maybe the play actually would be good for somebody who was 16 in 1965 and could understand all the references. OH THE REFERENCES!!! Without a proper understanding of these references it's impossible to garner any sort of appreciation for the book and that in itself is a problem. It doesn't have the timelessness of a true play (cough cough...SHAKESPEARE...cough cough OSCAR WILDE). And therefore god willing it will slip quietly into oblivion within the next decade or so.

I liked the complexities of this play. I had to read it for class but i still really enjoyed it

Quite witty. I was with her up until the final act.

i really didn’t care about anybody or anything in this honestly

I didn’t care for this story. Maybe it was the play format. Much of it didn’t make sense or was too difficult to follow. I never got to like any of the characters. They were snarky, sarcastic, and full of themselves. When they were younger the women were self-righteous, elitist, and judgmental... thinking that their view of society and women was the only correct way. Anyone who thought otherwise was unintelligent or uneducated.

Where one went to school defined a person. The job one held defined a person. Only people successful in liberal arts (art, journalism, acting) were acceptable. A woman who preferred a family, babies, or a traditional home over a career was to be pitied. They thought that everyone had to have their “consciousness raised” and they were just the ones to make that happen. Very arrogant.

The group of friends (I use the term loosely because they sniped at each other a lot and had long periods without communication), saw themselves as pioneers in the women’s movement. However, most of them eventually dropped out of the movement and “sold out” to materialism. They all got busy with their careers and chased after notoriety, very much into themselves. Heidi seemed to be the only one who carried her hard-core beliefs about art and feminism into her thirties.

None of them were happy with their choices. None were satisfied with their lives. I began to understand Heidi toward the end of the book and respect her for believing in something fully and staying true to those beliefs. The reader was led to believe that she might find happiness .... maybe with fulfillment in her work, maybe with Scoop or some other guy, maybe with the child she adopted. But in the end she got none of that. I was very disappointed that she adopted the baby girl...not for a child to love, not to fulfill her maternal instincts...but to have a girl to pass on her feminist views to....to continue the movement. It seemed so unfair to the child.

Being of the same age and of the same era as these women, I should have been able to identify with the story. The author used many musical and product references and, in my opinion, over did it. The songs, etc. became annoying.

My favorite character was Peter, the gay friend, but even he seemed shallow. His “husband” was dying of AIDS and in hospital and Peter picks up his next lover in the waiting room.

I got the feeling that I was being hit over the head with all the popular causes of the times and if you were there and weren’t out protesting or lobbying for those causes, you were irrelevant. This production was too heavy-handed, and I’m glad I didn’t spend money to see the play acted on stage. I believe that the awards won by this play were granted by like-minded people (other elites) rather than received through popularity in the general society.

I do believe that certain women fought hard for equal rights and some may have sacrificed their own happiness for their cause. I believe the movement brought change, some of it worthwhile. However, I’m not sure that women and society are in better places because of the movement in general. Therefore, it is in doubt whether Heidi and her friends should be applauded or pitied for their efforts.

The energy of act one is good, but Heidi herself was boring. I'd say the exact opposite for act two. 3.5 stars.

*read for class* love love love

Brilliant play exploring realistic feminism throughout the last half of the 20th century. Wasserstein uses Heidi to speak beautifully simple truths, that connected with me on a level few things have. I highly recommend reading it at least two times to pick up on all the nuances.

A great exploration of feminism's evolution from the 60s through the late 80s as seen through and experienced by Heidi. I would love to see this performed but thoroughly enjoyed the read.

I read this in a professional context with designs on directing it for high school students. It has a lot of potential but I am concerned about handling the feminist themes as a man and not being patronizing or condescending. I think it is worthy of production here but want to make sure I am serving the students well.

I adore Wendy Wasserstein's work and this is my favorite. I'v always wanted to play Peter in a production. A great look a life!