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to speak upon, somehow they always end up reverting to the ducks swimming around in the lake. Although their conversations seem misguided, as they talk about the ducks, many wise conversations are actually discussed. They talk about the leader of the ducks, and how every other duck follows that leader. When the leader duck dies, then a new leader must be chosen. They also talk about how everything the ducks do has a purpose. Within the dialog of the men, they talk about why things occur naturally, friendship, and death, not only in reference to the ducks, but also in
147:, friendship and death. The principal irony is that the men really know nothing about ducks. If they did, it would not improve their beautiful fugue on the theme of the possibility of happiness. Rather they use what experience has taught them and scattered, possibly incorrect ideas and facts to make guesses. They each assure the other that their guesses are established fact. By argument and occasional agreement a composite view of ducks and by extension, the world, begins to emerge.
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The play is focused around two old men who randomly meet on a park bench. Although it is usually played that the two men do not know of each other (the stage directions are ambiguous—they could meet, or they could be old friends), they awkwardly begin to talk to each other. As they fumble for topics
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The play was presented at the Kirk
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The play was initially performed in 1972 at the Saint
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at the Cherry Lane
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McNulty, Charles. "Two
Unrelated Plays by David Mamet",
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as George. According to theatre critic
Charles McNulty,
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True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor
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202:about seniors and death, is often paired with
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228:chicagoreader.com, accessed October 24, 2015
53:introducing citations to additional sources
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43:Relevant discussion may be found on the
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240:lortel.org, accessed October 24, 2015
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143:habits of ducks and runs to examine
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139:. The dialogue begins with the
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206:about young adults and sex.
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564:A Life in the Theatre
364:A Life in the Theatre
64:"The Duck Variations"
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787:The Spanish Prisoner
472:The Old Neighborhood
200:The Duck Variations,
49:improve this article
614:Glengarry Glen Ross
445:Bobby Gould in Hell
409:Glengarry Glen Ross
310:The Duck Variations
225:The Duck Variations
177:The Duck Variations
171:The double bill of
118:The Duck Variations
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164:Production history
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253:, May 20, 2008
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47:. Please help
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963:Zosia Mamet
932:(2006–2009)
674:Wag the Dog
584:The Verdict
294:David Mamet
133:David Mamet
105:August 2011
999:1972 plays
993:Categories
977:Lynn Mamet
535:China Doll
210:References
185:Obie Award
130:playwright
121:is a 1972
75:newspapers
427:The Shawl
373:The Woods
328:Squirrels
45:talk page
16:1972 play
929:The Unit
767:Homicide
714:Hannibal
704:Lakeboat
664:The Edge
508:November
382:Lakeboat
151:Synopsis
127:American
837:Redbelt
827:Spartan
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490:Faustus
454:Oleanna
346:Reunion
238:Listing
89:scholar
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141:mating
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624:Hoffa
137:ducks
96:JSTOR
82:books
517:Race
418:Vint
175:and
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68:news
145:law
125:by
51:by
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