Our book group choice for December 2008 is Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg. A year after he disappeared on the day of his father’s funeral, Walker Janeway returns to New York.
Three Days of Rain is a play by Richard Greenberg that was first produced in 1997. The play tells the story of three characters: Walker, Nan, and Pip. Walker and Nan are siblings, and Pip is their childhood friend. The play is set in two time periods: 1995, when the three characters meet to settle their parents’ estate, and 1965, when their parents were young architects.
The play begins in 1995, with Walker and Nan meeting in the apartment that their parents once shared. The apartment is now empty, and the two siblings are there to sort through their parents’ belongings. As they do, they begin to reminisce about their childhood and their parents’ relationship.
Walker is a successful architect, but he is also a troubled man. He is haunted by the death of his father, and he is also struggling with his own creativity. Nan is a painter, but she is struggling to find her own voice. She is also frustrated with her relationship with Pip, who is now a successful playwright.
As the two siblings talk, they begin to uncover secrets about their parents’ past. They learn that their father, Ned, was a brilliant architect, but he was also a difficult man. He was often cold and distant, and he had a turbulent relationship with his wife, Lena.
The play then flashes back to 1965, when Ned and Lena were young architects. They are working on a project together, and they are also falling in love. However, their relationship is complicated by the presence of Theo, another architect who is working on the project. Theo is charismatic and talented, and he quickly becomes a rival for Ned’s attention.
The play explores the themes of love, loss, and creativity. It is a story about the choices we make, and the ways in which those choices shape our lives. The play is also a meditation on the nature of art, and the ways in which art can both reflect and shape our reality.
Three Days of Rain has been praised for its complex characters, its elegant writing, and its insights into the creative process. The play has been produced all over the world, and it has won numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Best Play.
Discussion Questions
- What is the significance of the title, Three Days of Rain?
- How does the play explore the themes of love, loss, and regret?
- What is the relationship between the three characters, and how does it change over the course of the play?
- What does the play say about the creative process?
- How does the play explore the generational divide?
- What is the significance of the setting, the New York apartment of the late Nan?
- What is the role of the rain in the play?
- What is the significance of the play’s many allusions to other works of art?
- How does the play challenge traditional notions of gender roles?
- What is the play’s message about the importance of family?
- How does the play explore the nature of memory?
- What is the play’s critique of the art world?
- How does the play’s ending leave us feeling?
- What is the play’s relevance to the contemporary world?
- What do you think the play’s title means to you?
- What is the significance of the play’s structure?
- How does the play’s use of language create meaning?
- What is the play’s tone?
- To whom would you recommend the play?