Comparing Paul Dooley And Winnie Holzman's Notes On A Marriage

Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman’s Post-its (Notes on a Marriage) is an accurate representation of how fast life actually goes by once one becomes an adult. The play begins with two maturing adults, Actor and Actress, in the beginning stages of a dating relationship, and they quickly develop into a dysfunctional family of three. The scenes then progress to a renewed relationship between Actor and Actress, and as time goes on, one proceeds to witness Actor, Actress, and Eugenia grow and mature. While one reads the play, one sees that Actor and Actress’s relationship takes time and communication for them to grow together. The play, although only a few pages long, is able to depict how the stages of life, the birth of one’s child, one’s marriage, the

Could he spend the summer with us? Again.” (1179), proving the fact that they truly enjoy spending time with their grandson. As time goes on, one sees that Actor and Actress are gradually getting older. They are forgetting the little things, and when Actress says, “Do you have my keys?” (1179), one can really see how quickly both Actor and Actress are declining mentally. The final part of Actor and Actress’s relationship is seen when Actress goes to take a nap and never wakes up. Although she has died, Actor continues his life as though she were still living when the play is concluded by Actor saying, “Back soon. Going to the store. We need milk.” (1179). One can consider that to be denial of her death, but it is, in fact, Actor’s way of coping with her death and allowing his life to continue as it normally would. Through the progression of Actor and Actress’s relationship as seen in Post-its (Notes on a Marriage), one can see how quickly life passes by. This brief play shows that one needs to enjoy life and love before it is too late, and both disappear