Ancient History

Ruth and Jack, both in their mid-thirties, believe themselves perfectly suited to each other. But when Ruth suddenly mentions marriage, a subtle but ominous change is felt in their relationship. As it happens, Ruth is Jewish. Jack is a lapsed Catholic who scorns religion; she is career oriented and bent on success, he is a poorly paid teacher who is happy to settle for what he has; she fears her stern parents would never accept her marrying a non-Jewish man; he has already been through one failed marriage and is wary of repeating his mistake. And while the mood at first is light-hearted and filled with brightly humorous lines, it is also punctuated by the random ringing of an unseen phone - at which times the protagonists quickly vary the mood and express their secret feelings and recriminations in brief, often caustic, monologues. Later, no holds are barred, and the irreconcilable differences between which were largely sublimated in the beginning now burst forth in full fury, leading to a monumental explosion and, apparently, Ruth and Jack's acceptance of the sobering truth that there is more that divides them than unites them.