Brighton Beach Memoirs

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a semi-autobiographical play by American playwright Neil Simon. It is the first play in Simon’s Eugene Trilogy and follows its young protagonist as he grapples with adolescence and identity in the midst of the Great Depression. Its initial 1983 Broadway run enjoyed critical acclaim and won several awards. Most notably, actor Matthew Broderick won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for originating the role of Eugene. Despite its initial success, a subsequent theatrical revival and film adaptation were not successful, receiving lackluster reviews from critics. However, Brighton Beach Memoirs retains relevance for its portrayal of familial struggles, coming of age, and depiction of Jewish culture. 

Plot Summary

In September of 1937, 14-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome dreams of professional baseball. Eugene tells the audience that it’s his dream to be a baseball player but says that he’d also settle for being a writer. He says that he’s working on a secret collection of memoirs that he’ll publish in case his athletic career fails to take off.

Eugene explains his family’s dynamic. After his aunt Blanche’s husband died, she and her daughters, Laurie and Nora, moved in. His mother Kate, father Jack, and older brother Stanley provide most of the emotional and financial support for the household. Jack works two jobs, and Stanley entered the workforce upon graduating high school. Laurie rarely helps with housework because she has a heart condition. Eugene feels that he is blamed for household problems.

As Eugene sets the dinner table, Nora shares that a Broadway producer came to her dance school and offered her an audition, but she needs permission from her mother. Kate and Blanche warn Nora against dropping out of high school to pursue the arts. Blanche wants to let Jack decide. Nora is furious that her fate is in the hands of a man who isn’t her father and storms out.

Up in their room, Nora and Laurie discuss life since their father’s passing. They swear that they will save until they can buy a house of their own and live free from external influence. Eugene talks to his brother Stanley, who lost his job while supporting his coworker. His boss says he won’t fire him if he apologizes, but Stanley is reluctant to abandon his principles—something he learned from Jack. Stanley swears Eugene to secrecy until he can talk to their father.

Jack arrives home and tells Kate that his second boss fired him, claiming the business would soon be bankrupt despite recent spending. Kate tells him to go to temple and pray, but Jack is skeptical. Stanley and Nora discuss their respective needs to talk to Jack, and Eugene predicts a tumultuous night ahead.

Jack tries to initiate a “family hour” during dinner and tells everyone that now is the time to share anything with him (46). Instead, the family gets sidetracked discussing Hitler’s activity in Europe and fears for Jewish people abroad. Jack takes Nora for a walk on the beach, hoping to give her advice on her predicament.

Meanwhile, Eugene and Stanley are back in their room. Stanley frets about what to say to Jack. Eugene has something else on his mind. He admits to Stanley that he’s started noticing girls. He recently experienced his first wet dream and asks Stanley to teach him about puberty and girls.

In the kitchen, Kate and Blanche discuss the state of the family. Blanche has remained single since the passing of her husband six years ago, and Kate begs her to join her and Jack at his company party. Kate tells Blanche that it’s not too late to remarry and says there are many eligible bachelors attending the celebration. Blanche declines, citing her plans with their neighbor Frank Murphy. Kate distrusts Frank because he’s Irish, and she tells Blanche that she is selling herself short. Blanche says that while she doesn’t have her sights set on Frank, she wants to remarry as soon as she can so she can stop living off of Kate and Jack.

Nora returns from her walk with Jack. Now that she’s heard from Jack, she wants Blanche to have the final say. Jack mentions that he told Nora to finish high school: If she truly has talent, she will still get opportunities to audition in the future. He says his life was irrevocably changed by dropping out of high school and that he just wants her to have options. Blanche agrees. Nora storms off.

Stanley talks with Jack before bedtime. After explaining the situation, Stanley says he wants to affirm his principles to live how Jack would want him to. Jack considers the practicality of being principled in a crisis, and the two ultimately agree that he should apologize. Stanley returns to his room and asks Eugene to write the apology in exchange for a description of Nora taking a shower.

Act II begins one week later. Jack is recovering from a heart attack and is trying to focus on resting to heal. Blanche anxiously awaits her date with Frank Murphy. Kate is relying on Stanley’s paycheck to carry the family through this tumultuous period. However, Stanley comes home from work and tells Eugene that he lost his money in a poker game. After an argument, Eugene comes down with the rest of the family to wait for Blanche as she prepares for her date. Although Blanche is excited, she is unable to take her mind off Nora, who is shunning her after losing her audition. The family sends Eugene and Laurie to get ice cream while they wait. Kate goes upstairs to ask Stanley to give Blanche money so she can enjoy her date. Stanley tells the truth about the lost money, and Kate says they need to keep the information from Jack until he recovers.

Kate rejoins Blanche, visibly stressed. She expresses newfound worry about her family, and Blanche tries to sympathize by bringing up her fears about Nora. Kate snaps at her, telling her she’s making issues about herself. Kate observes that they’re replaying dynamics from their childhood. Despite their reconciliation, Blanche says she can no longer stand to live off of Jack and Kate’s kindness and vows to move out as soon as she can. Laurie returns with a note from Frank’s mother. She expresses regret that Frank can no longer meet with Blanche and explains that he was injured in a car accident.

Eugene tries to convince Stanley to return to dinner, only to find him packing. Stanley says he’s been a disappointment to his family and plans to join the army. Eugene is devastated but doesn’t know how to tell his family what happened. He confides in Laurie, who informs him of Blanche’s plans to move out. Eugene considers what his home life will be like with just his parents.

Blanche is determined to talk to Nora and waits for her to get home. Cornered, Nora explains her feelings about her lost audition and tells Blanche it seems that she favors Laurie. They come to a place of increased understanding and reconcile. Kate enters and apologizes to Blanche for their earlier argument. She tells her that she should continue living with them. Blanche compromises, and decides to stay in the house until she can find stable employment.

Eugene spends most of the next day fretting about Stanley and is overjoyed when he returns. He says that he passed the army physical but changed his mind about enlisting at the last minute. Jack tells Stanley that he’ll have plenty of time to enlist once the war picks up, and they all affirm the importance of family. The family discusses the mounting tensions in Europe and reflects on the implications of the upcoming war. Jack shares that his cousin Sholem was able to escape Poland and will move his family to New York. They begin planning how to accommodate their new visitors.