Wrestlers

Bobby, the dominant older brother, was the one who always excelled at sports and studies, and from whom great things were expected; while his younger sibling, the easygoing, less ambitious Monty, always seemed to be cast in the role of the loser

But, as the play begins, Bobby, having flunked out of law school and making do with a dead-end job in a Manhattan department store, is the one adrift; while Monty, now a gym teacher, is happily ensconced with his girlfriend, Angie, in an upstate village

Concerned about his brother, Monty invites Bobby to join them on weekends, but as the juxtaposition of scenes from the past and present so effectively underscores, the old competitiveness soon flares up, this time with Angie caught in the middle

While she loves Monty, she is drawn to the tidy, efficient and more worldly Bobby, and when he proposes to her, Monty, reacting instinctively to his accustomed domination by his brother, reluctantly backs off - before pulling himself together and making a counterproposal

In the end, however, Angie can't (or won't) decide between the two and departs - leaving Monty and Bobby as they were and always will be: two brothers inextricably bound by a filial affection forever challenged by rivalry and conflict

A cleverly constructed, keenly observant and often very funny examination of sibling rivalry

"It's a sensitive portrayal of a relationship that is full of love and hostility - sometimes both at the same time" ~ The Hollywood Reporter

" it is written with grace and affection" ~ NY Daily News