A Quiet End is a 1985 play written by American author Robin Swados (born 1953). It explores the lives of three gay men, all suffering from HIV/AIDS, who share an apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. A Quiet End was one of the first plays to address the AIDS epidemic, receiving productions both in the U.S. and internationally, and is widely considered "groundbreaking" for this reason. It is one of only fifteen plays that directly falls under Wikipedia's classification of HIV/AIDS in theatre, and one of only five to run in a Broadway/off-Broadway production.
Unlike its contemporary, The Normal Heart, A Quiet End makes no mention of the politics that dominated the AIDS epidemic during this time period, particularly the lack of government response and funding in New York City. The script goes so far as to omit the words "HIV" or "AIDS", though the disease is heavily implied throughout.
The play premiered as the inaugural production of the International City Theater in Long Beach, California, and made its international debut four weeks later at the Offstage Theater in London.
A Quiet End has been produced at numerous theaters including the Repertory Theater of St. Louis, the American Repertory Theater (Amsterdam), Theater-off-Park (New York), as well as two revivals in Los Angeles and another in New York, according to playwright Swados.
Synopsis
Act One
A Quiet End opens in a run-down apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where Tony and Max are playing Scrabble. While waiting for Tony to take his turn, Max complains about the dismal apartment furniture and takes his HIV/AIDS medication. Billy arrives home from grocery shopping and reminisces that while he used to run "three, maybe four miles a day", he is now so exhausted that he can barely make it up the stairs.
Billy and Max talk about the apartment. While Billy is grateful for a place to live, Max bitterly grumbles about the view and the hideous furniture. When a stray comment by Max brings on the revelation that Billy and Tony were raised Catholic, the discussion transitions into a debate over the existence of God. Despite general tension between the Catholic Church and homosexuality, Tony believes wholeheartedly in God and Billy believes "sometimes". A disgusted Max professes that he believes in nothing but his individual strength and ability to survive.
Tony, after being needled and cajoled by Max and Billy, finally completes his turn in Scrabble, playing the word "punt." Both Max and Billy are incredulous that it has taken Tony so long to create such a low-scoring word. Max then turns from insulting Tony's word to Tony's past career as a football player, and the game of football in general. Tony leaves the room, hurt and angry. Max admits to Billy that the reason he dislikes athletics is because he was always picked last. Billy points out that Max is lashing out and being selfish; unlike Max, Tony wasn't "out" in high school and therefore probably had a difficult time in ways Max couldn't imagine. Max, at Billy's encouragement, leaves to reconcile with Tony.
The scene shifts to a conversation between Max and an unseen doctor. Max frustratedly admits that he hasn't felt real pleasure since he stopped teaching. The conversation with the doctor reveals that Max was fired from his teaching job because the school's administration discovered that Max was HIV-positive after Max was discovered having distributed HIV treatment resources to an infected student.
Back in the apartment, Max's ex-boyfriend Jason shows up and introduces himself to Billy. Billy divulges that he was fired from his job as a pianist because the man with whom he shared the piano became increasingly paranoid that Billy would pass the disease to him. Jason asks about life at the apartment, and Billy responds that existence is fairly unfulfilling, emotionally, sexually, and physically. Max then returns to the living room, where he and Jason catch up. Jason had not contacted Max after Max was diagnosed with HIV. Jason reveals that he is still HIV-free, but Max's relief is short-lived. The two quickly revive old arguments from their relationship, including Jason's disapproval of Max's insistence on an open relationship, and accuses Max of using group therapy to jump from solution to solution without ever taking the time to truly analyze himself. Max responds that he felt that everyone, particularly Jason, was more perfect than he was. Jason begs for Max to take him back, but Max refuses, telling Jason that his future is outside the apartment. The two kiss passionately, and Jason leaves.