The Heidi Chronicles | Gender Power Structure in The Heidi Chronicles
In this essay, Petrusso discusses the weakness of the female characters and the dominant role of the male characters in Wasserstein’s play; this unbalanced power structure is reflective of traditional views of male/female roles in society.
Despite its reputation as a feminist play, the male characters and their values dominate The Heidi Chronicles. In a review of the original Broadway production, Cathleen McGuigan said in Newsweek: ‘‘The men in Heidi’s life are more interesting [than her female friends].’’ Another critic, Gayle Austin from the Theatre Journal called Heidi passive and claimed the play ‘‘gives them [men] all the best lines.’’ Many of Heidi’s choices are made for and defined by men. Indeed, her role in many scenes is limited to a reactive one; she responds to the...
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