The Nerd

by Larry Shue

Book Overview

THE STORY: Now an aspiring young architect in Terre Haute, Indiana, Willum Cubbert has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822208113
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.5" x 0.3" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Revenge on the Nerd

Larry Shue is a gifted playwright who can deftly mix laugh-out-loud comedy with social criticism. This was best evidenced in his near-farcical work "The Foreigner". His comedy is put to excellent display in "The Nerd", the story of a man trying to politely get rid of a guest who has more than outstayed his welcome, if he was ever welcome to begin with. Willum Cubbert, now an architect, was wounded in Vietnam and rescued by Rick Steadman, a man he was never able to meet. But since Rick saved his life, Willum feels indebted to him and offers him a place to stay should he ever need it. On Willum's thirty-fourth birthday, Rick shows up, and turns out to be a nightmare, for he is completely inept when it comes to socializing, and even more so when it comes to being a human being anyone would want to have anything to do with. Willum's life is excessively complicated by Rick's extended visit, and along with his friends they engage in some wild antics to make Rick leave for good. "The Nerd" is fast paced and often laugh-out-loud funny. Larry Shue mangages to imbue his characters with vivid life despite the shortness of his works. What makes "The Nerd" work is the conundrum that Willum finds himself in by feeling indebted to and horrified by Rick at the same time, a situation that anyone could recognize themselves in. "The Nerd" is a comic masterpiece which I am looking forward to seeing performed live.

A Good Old Fashioned Knee Slapper

I have been a fan of Larry Shue's work since I was in a performance of "The Foreigner". In anticipation of seeing a live performance, I read "The Nerd". My greatest objection is that the title is somewhat misleading. This flaw aside, this may be the funniest play that I have ever read. Willum Cubbert is one of the most promising architects in Terre Haute, Indiana. He is also a Vietnam veteran that owes his life to a man named Rick Steadman. In the vein of houseguest that wear out their welcome, Steadman may be the most obnoxious. With his over the top tactlessness and inability to take social cues, it takes less than a week for even the man whose life he saved in Vietnam to want Rick gone. Shue is masterful in his wit and skill for placing jokes in social contexts. The surprise twist at the end makes for an extra delight in reading this play. With his talent, it is remarkable that Shue is not better known.

Reviewing The Nerd

Extremely witty and hilarious. I could almost see the play taking place. Very funny to read and I'm sure it is even funnier to see on stage.

A literary and performance masterpiece!

This is easilly my favorite play ever. Last year, I directed it for a Student Directed Production at my high school and had a lot of success and strong audience response. I had people walk up to me hoping for more performances because they had laughed SO HARD. Some of my closest friends actually said they had fallen off their seats laughing. Involving a small cast of 7, this production creates what reviewers say is "one of the funniest plays ever written". The plot begins with architect Willum Cubbert getting a surprise birthday party from his girlfriend Tansy and his room mate and play-critic, Axel. From the beginning, the characters are establishes, but the plot takes a little while to catch onto. Tansy talks about leaving Willum for a job opportunity in Washington because she feels like she's spinning her tires with Willum. Finally, Willum's boss, Waldgrave, his wife, Clelia, and son, Thor, arrive. From this family's entrance, they're a comedy routine on their own! Waldgrave is edgy and very high strung, while Clelia presents herself as a very calm and collected special ed. teacher...while their son, Thor, is a hellian! :) After a while, a man who once saved Willum's life in Vietnam, shows up on the answering machine. And this man, named Rick Steadman, shows up, and is a bumbling oaf and a complete NERD! All in all, Rick drives EVERYONE nuts! Clelia smashes dishes to relieve stress, Waldgrave screams and pitches a fit, and Thor locks himself in the bedroom. After a LOT of comedic setups, the Waldgrave family exits with muddy clothes, soaked shoes, and a psychologically messed up delinquent. Willum, Tansy, and Axel result in constantly being driven up the wall by Rick. So, Rick decides to stay...permanantly. Willum doesn't feel as if he could just tell Rick to leave, so he stays and DRIVES HIM UP THE WALL! After dedicated attempts at ridding themselves of Rick, they decide the only way it's possible, is by performing bizarre Pagan rituals. After dancing around the room, Willum, Tansy, and Axel all realize that Rick is ENJOYING himself! Finally, Rick joins the chant and shouts for them to throw cottage cheese out the window. They do. And Waldgrave reenters the apartment with a pile of cottage cheese covering him. In the end, Willum is fired completely because of Rick. And that is when Willum decides to tell the schmuck to leave. And in a very awkward way, the nerd makes his exit. And Willum, now jobless, decides to take a job offer in Washington, so he can remain with Tansy. A love setup was caused by a secret plan by Axel and the actor who had played Rick Steadman the entire time. Willum may go to Washington realizing that he's now jobless, but as "Rick" says "by that time, I'm sure he'll be so happy he'll forget to be mad" and the curtain closes. There is no perfect way to review this, due to all the humour within the dialogue. I simply will say, BUY THIS! YOU WILL READ IT, a

Awesome

This play was absolutely awesome. It is very humurous and is definately a page turner. I have also seen it performed, and it's even funnier on stage. A must read, and a must see!