Williamson's last play to date, I think.
Mixed feelings.
Great idea - rich man dying, wants to make amends with kid. Younger Dave would've gone for it full throttle - done King Lear (which Williamson adapted in the 70s), a rich monster tormented here by his greedy kids. He could've drawn on his own experience of blended families - the first wife, etc. A version of The Great Man where the Great Man is alive. Something like that.
But, no.
Here it's just two kids, both sons. One's a bit of a smart talking pants man, the other a nerd. Nerd is so bitter about having been fired by dad, justifiably, he doesn't let his father see his grandchildren. This makes the nerd a major fuckwit but I think we're meant to empathise.
Female characters are thin, even for Dave - gold digging faithless shrew (nerd's wife), cuckolded woman (smooth talker's wife), faithful well educated Kristin substitute (tycoon's wife). The word "tart" gets trotted out. Does this get a big laugh?
A promising subplot about the nerd rooting his brother's wife is hinted at but not done - why not have them have sex? It would've given the piece more point.
Tremendous potential here. The father dying painfully and wanting the kids to assist kill him - that's very good. The scene where he dies is powerful - this is good writing.
Not so good is the fact so much of it consists of short scenes and the action is told in chronological fashion. This all could have played out in two scenes - asking for help to die and then dying with all the exposition played out. Did Williamson lose interest in long scenes?
The euthanasia stuff is fresh. The regretful patriarch is tired as is the sooky son. A great play in here if only Williamson was forced to do a few more drafts.
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