The Subject Was Roses

I thought this would be an interesting play with a title that could be a complement to Valentine’s Day, today.   The actors in this play are Martin Sheen (West Wing), Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker), playing a family in the Bronx, 1946. Martin Sheen played  the role of Timmy in 1964 and has returned to play John, the father.

Timmy just returned from the war, unfazed and uninjured, but in no time is caught back up in the competition and fights between his parents about him, over him or about each other.  His mother is disappointed that her husband is the life of the party in public, but doesn’t know how to be close to her in private.  His father had dreams to make it big, but is settling for a middle class life and extramarital affairs.  Timmy loves them both and is always caught in the middle during the tension and drama that has caused him to be upset and frail as a child.  Now a man, he tries to resolve the issues and is finally able to push back and stand up for himself. 

There was a scene in the final act where it hit close to home.  Timmy told his father that one thing he could never get over was that John never told Timmy he loved him.   Standing up as a man with the knowledge of what he wanted for his future and what was the right thing to do, Timmy could tell his father that he loved him.   Both men reached out to each other and hugged.  This hit close to home because Max said his father finally said he loved him shortly before he died.  Maybe it was the type of thing men didn’t do back then, but I’m glad that has changed today.

I think the author listed every human emotion and tried to portray them in this play.  I think it was a job well done.