Sexual Perversity in Chicago

"Sexual Perversity in Chicago" is an exploration of the beginning and the end of a relationship over the course of nine-weeks. Danny and Deborah, both late twenty-somethings, meet and have an immediate sexual attraction to one another, quickly landing them in Danny’s bed. After their initial meeting, they decide to date and eventually, Deborah and is telling her roommate, Joan that’s she’s moving out and in with Danny. Bernie, a charismatic misogynist and Danny’s boss and mentor, is uneasy of Danny’s bold decision to move in with Deborah so quickly.  Joan, an embittered woman who has been burned too many times in the past to come off as a pleasant human being, shares Bernie’s opinion. After the move, the couple begins to deteriorate to the correct prediction of their friends, ultimately ending in a nasty standoff that doesn’t seem to be reconcilable. Mamet’s peek into the gender and sexual politics between men and women is both fascinating at times, and disheartening. Danny and Bernie often talk about women in an objectifying way, while Joan and Deborah often sulk of being mistreated by men. Where as Mamet’s command of language make both these dismal outlooks appealing, the core of the argument still remains: men vs. women.  However accurate or inaccurate Mamet’s portrayal of either side is represented in "Chicago," his ability to deliver precise characters with amazing monologues and dialogue is unrivaled. It’s a very wild and entertaining take on the politics between men and women. Mamet is able to cultivate four very different characters that at bring the reader full circle, you like them, you hate them, but most effectively you can relate to them, even though you may not want to.