This study focuses on acclaimed playwright Steven Berkoff’s rarely studied play, Kvetch. The study argues that Berkoff demonstrates the uncomfortable inner conflicts of human beings in Kvetch at personal and interpersonal levels. In this context, the article explores the issues of anxiety, fragmentation, and dysfunctional communication, which are reflected through the internal monologues and overlapping speeches of the characters. The characters in the play suffer from anxieties affecting their actions and interactions. This situation causes a dichotomous tension between their inner selves and their social faces. The mental fragmentation of the characters also gives rise to the problem of dysfunctional communication, creating a more chaotic atmosphere in the play. The study further claims that Berkoff functionalizes both form and content to present the characters’ inner struggles. In this respect, it is demonstrated in this study that Berkoff’s unconventional and non-conformist dramatic approach in Kvetch strengthens the theme of fragmentation structurally as well. By delving into the characters’ internal monologues and the complex web of dialogues in the play, the study looks at how Berkoff employs experimental dramatic techniques through which he pushes his audiences to put the puzzle pieces together to be able to understand each character’s mind. The study concludes that Berkoff’s play displays the mental world of humankind, always in struggle with a pervasive sense of anxiety and fragmentation.

Keywords: Berkoff, kvetch, anxiety, fragmentation, dysfunctional communication