The Old Neighborhood (play)

The Old Neighborhood is a three-act play written by David Mamet. It premiered in 1997 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and subsequently opened on Broadway in November 1997 at the Booth Theatre.

The play explores themes of memory, identity, and the complexities of revisiting one's past. It centers on Bobby Gould, a successful screenwriter living in Los Angeles, who returns to his childhood neighborhood in Chicago after learning of the death of his friend Joey. The play is divided into three distinct scenes, each offering a glimpse into Bobby's past relationships and the lingering impact of his upbringing.

The first act, "The Disappearance of David Mamet," features a fictionalized version of Mamet reflecting on his own past and experiences. The second act, "Junk Bonds," involves a tense encounter between Bobby and his former friend, Joey’s widow. The final act, "Deeny," sees Bobby reuniting with a childhood friend, Deeny, and confronting unresolved feelings and unspoken truths from their shared history.

The Old Neighborhood is known for its signature Mamet dialogue: terse, fragmented, and often ambiguous. The play's power lies in its subtle exploration of psychological complexities and the challenges of truly knowing oneself and one's past. The original Broadway production starred Peter Riegert as Bobby Gould, Vincent Guastaferro as Joey, and Patti LuPone as Deeny.