Thomas Hardy’s famously tragic indictment of hypocritical Victorian morals is given an intensely visceral spin in Brian Scanlan’s play. A poem as much as a play, Scanlan incisively interrogates the stigmas and consequences of addiction and what happens when society fails to care for those struggling with addiction, much like how Hardy condemned society’s treatment of “fallen women.” Moving, powerful, and heartbreaking, “hurt people/hurt people” is a necessary play in our national conversation about addiction and treatment. It is also a beautiful character study of desperation, trauma, and...
Thomas Hardy’s famously tragic indictment of hypocritical Victorian morals is given an intensely visceral spin in Brian Scanlan’s play. A poem as much as a play, Scanlan incisively interrogates the stigmas and consequences of addiction and what happens when society fails to care for those struggling with addiction, much like how Hardy condemned society’s treatment of “fallen women.” Moving, powerful, and heartbreaking, “hurt people/hurt people” is a necessary play in our national conversation about addiction and treatment. It is also a beautiful character study of desperation, trauma, and survival. Fantastic work!