Cliff Jablonski is proud of his manliness, and he doesn't tolerate any disrespect
from the guys in his auto repair shop. Into this macho world, one day comes a bouquet
of pink carnations—from Cliff's wife—because she loves him. The boys in the shop
go wild and kid Jablonski to distraction. Cliff gets so mad that he bites off one of the
flowers and eats it, dies, and goes to heaven. But God won't let him in until he goes back
home and apologizes to everybody.From this simple beginning, the plot winds and twists
through a delirious maze of events that keep audiences hysterical with laughter. Cliff's
feminist daughter-in-law is horrified at the gift of flowers; she foresees an upheaval of
the very roots of civilization—"lilacs in the locker room!" There is consternation on the
part of Cliff's daughter, who thinks everthing is beautiful, and his son-in-law, who is just
as masculine as Cliff (he runs a bowling alley) but kind of likes flowers. In the midst of the
constant hilarity, there's a surprise around every corner...including a telephone call from God.
Just right for professional and non-professional dinner theatre, and for general staging by
high schools, colleges, and community theatres. Three acts; simple set; modern clothes.
"The
Garland [Dinner Theatre] ensemble engendered guffaws...bursts of sustained laughter, and a hearty round
of applause at the finale."—Towson, Maryland, Jeffersonian.
See also: Family Relationships