It is a rare thing for a work to equal or even surpass the original. Sadly, this sequel to "Same Time, Next Year" by playwrite, Bernard Slade, fails to even come close.

I loved "Same Time, Next Year". It was everything a play should be. It was warm and funny. At times I was laughing out loud or in tears. I cared deeply about the characters despite my distaste for the very idea of adultery.

I can only assume that Slade's sole motivation for writing the sequel, "Same Time, Another Year", was money - and it showed. Although he brings the play to a fairly satisfactory ending, the journey to that ending is wrought with clunky dialogue and life events that feel forced and contrived. The effort by Slade to drag these people into character is almost palpable.

To add to my displeasure, even the editing is poor. There are several obvious spelling errors (eg. "whey" instead of "why") which should have been picked up with even a cursory reading. I can only assume that the editorial staff did not bother to read it and even Slade was unwilling to put himself through the effort of reading what he knew to be a poor effort.

This (thankfully) slim volume will sit on my bookcase next to the first play but I will try to forget it exists for the very reading of it has tarnished the original. ( )