First Star & the Railing (Estreno Contemporary Spanish Plays, 19) (Estreno Collection of Contemporary Spanish Plays)

Two plays are included in this volume: First Star and The Railing. First Star is a riveting drama of discovery and recovery. Estelle, a successful novelist, goes to a seedy bar with the intention of gathering material for her next book. In a smoke-filled bar populated by raudy men playing poker, she bumps into Juan Dominguez, her father's old drinking and gambling buddy. Together they tiptoe through the minefields of a dark past littered with broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. It is a difficult journey that threatens to open old wounds but ultimately heals the soul. The Railing is a tender story of a poor and handicapped elderly couple stranded in their upper floor apartment for many years due to the landlady's refusal to install a handrail on the staircase. Once discovered by the media, their plight becomes a reality T.V. frenzy. This bittersweet social satire uncovers media exploitation but at the same time, recovers priceless human dignity.