Hurlyburly

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Hurlyburly (1984) is a play written by David Rabe. A film adaptation was produced in 1998.

Over three hours long, the play portrays the intersecting lives of several Hollywood players. Fueled by massive amounts of drugs, engaged in endless discussions, they attempt to find some meaning in their isolated, empty lives. The central character Eddie's repeated, pathetic question "How does it pertain to me?", sums up his spiritual agony as he heads for catharsis.

The title Hurlyburly (meaning noisy confusion, tumult) is a reference to Shakespeare's play Macbeth:

First Witch: When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

Second Witch: When the hurlyburly's done, / When the battle's lost and won.

(Macbeth, Act I, Scene I)

The original stage version was directed by Mike Nichols and premiered in Chicago in 1984 with a cast of William Hurt, Christopher Walken (later replaced by Ron Silver), Harvey Keitel, Jerry Stiller, Judith Ivey, Cynthia Nixon and Sigourney Weaver.

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Hurlyburly (film). (Discuss)

Hurlyburly was made into a film in 1998, for which Rabe adapted the screenplay himself, cutting almost an hour from the play and updating the setting from mid-'80s to the late '90s.

The film was directed by Anthony Drazan and starred Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri, Robin Wright Penn, Garry Shandling, Anna Paquin and Meg Ryan. Sean Penn won an award for his performance at the Venice Film Festival.