Revised Edition, 2015
When a down on his luck middle aged man inherits an apartment in Paris, he plans to solve his financial woes by selling it. He arrives on the doorstep and discovers, to his dismay, that the elderly woman living there has lifetime habitation rights under an arcane French law and she is not about to give them up. Because he has no other place to go, she invites him to stay in the spacious apartment. A spiral of friendship, romance with the old lady's outspoken daughter, and some uncomfortable revelations about his unmourned father affect all in this poignant play with strong roles for all three actors.
My Old Lady premiered at Gloucester Stage Company in Gloucester, MA in 1996 under the direction of David Wheeler. It was then seen off-Broadway in 2002 starring Sian Philips and Jan Maxwell. A subsequent production starred Estelle Parsons at Palm Beach Dramaworks. My Old Lady is in the repertory of The Moscow Art Theatre and The National Theatre of Bulgaria.