Anna Gassett

Jim Price

Acting

25 February 2020

Katie and Frank Reflection

For this play report, I read Katie and Frank by Theresa Rebeck and I loved it. I remember

this play from the D2 performances in December as one of the plays that stood out to me. I

thought it made a very important statement on gender roles, respect, and common courtesy

within a relationship. Although this place is very short, its point comes across extremely vividly

and clearly. Particularly in today’s society, roles in the household are evolving and changing to

where both parties are responsible for contributing to the overall welfare. This has been a trend

only in just about the past thirty years. Before then, it was unheard of for a woman to do

anything other than tend to the house and children. It feels as though Frank is stuck in the

traditional mindset where the woman is supposed to provide for the household by cooking,

cleaning, buying groceries, etc. Katie realizes and understands that if she wants to save this

marriage, she needs to show Frank that she feels she has no voice in the relationship. When she

pulls out the gun on Frank, he immediately surrenders everything to her. This is the first time

that Katie has ever felt power in the relationship, so no wonder she wants to keep pointing a gun

at her husband. Of course, there is something mentally wrong with Katie. It is troubling that she

buys a gun on a whim and has it aimed at her husband’s head, but that is beside the point. Katie

feels like she needs to take the relationship into her own hands and using a gun is her way of

doing that. My favorite line in the play is, “Frank. This is the first time you’ve listened to me in
years. Why would I put the gun down?” It makes the audience in full support of Katie’s actions

even though they are completely immoral.

Frank is just an absolute douche. If I ever had to deal with a man like that in my life, I

would drop him immediately. He doesn’t listen to a thing that Katie says and he treats her like

his maid, ordering her around. What really grinds my gears is when Frank says the following:

“This is ridiculous you know. This toothpaste situation? I mean, I’m just squeezing here for this

squidge, it’s not even, when was the last time you went to the store? I understand that you’re

troubled but I don’t think that it’s asking too much that you occasionally get it together to go to

the store and buy a fucking tube of toothpaste.” He is an ASSHOLE. Why can’t he take fifteen

minutes out of his day to run to the store and get toothpaste himself? Instead, he has to blame

Katie for all of his own issues, which is just sad. Frank also shames his wife for going to therapy,

AKA taking control of her life and not dwelling over her issues. At least she is talking with

someone and trying to help herself instead of complaining, which is what Frank does throughout

the entire play. I’m glad that Katie takes some kind of control over her husband because it seems

like he’s always felt superior to her. He needs to be taught a lesson, and if Katie scaring Frank

with a gun will do the trick, then more power to her.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this play. Theresa Rebeck is really savvy at creating

work where audience members can see themselves represented well on stage. I believe Katie and

Frank is a genius narrative for a screwed-up relationship that I believe a lot of women and men

can connect to.