Photo by Joan Marcus

Photo by Joan Marcus

Photo by Joan Marcus

Photo by Joan Marcus

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Portrait of playwright Bruce Norris, a white male, wearing a plaid collared shirt.

Photo of Bruce Norris by Zack DeZon

The Qualms


Mainstage Theater


A new play by Bruce Norris
Directed by Pam MacKinnon

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Thou shalt covet thy neighbor's wife. And thy neighbor, too, at this suburban get-together for partner-swapping couples. Drawn in by The Lifestyle's promise of freedom and titillation, newly married Chris and Kristy attend an alcohol-fueled party for swingers, only to find themselves at odds with the idea of free love and, suddenly, each other. Idealism devolves into chaos in this sharp, sardonic assault on the struggle for power, and the sexual politics of getting laid.

Creative Team
Todd Rosenthal
Scenic Designer
Jessica Pabst
Costume Designer
Russell H. Champa
Lighting Designer
Rick Sims
Sound Designer
Cole P. Bonenberger
Production Stage Manager
Reviews
  • “Buoyant, amusing, vivid, tangy, beguiling, engaging, and rawly funny.”

    — Charles Isherwood, The New York Times
  • “★★★★ Critic’s Pick! Bruce Norris is a master of peevishness and acrimony with bravura dialogue, perfectly set-up jokes, and juicy jeremiads. Pam MacKinnon directs a strong and frisky ensemble with her usual flair.”

    — David Cote, TimeOut New York
More Reviews
  • “A thrilling ride! Norris is a source of complicated pleasure. Very well acted and spiced up by smuttiness.”

    — Jesse Green, New York magazine
  • “More like a massacre than an orgy, and very possibly Bruce Norris’ best! The Qualms is as fully alive as Clybourne Park but dares to cut even deeper.”

    — Jason Clark, Entertainment Weekly