At a pivotal moment of a heated tennis match between Brian and Russ, obsessive rivals whose entire season of amateur competition has been building toward this day, an obscenity-spiked command erupts from Brian’s mouth. “Don’t you _______ say a word,” he barks, all aggression and rage. Instantly and irreparably, the men’s relationship implodes.  This is the incident at the center of Andy Bragen’s new comedy, which takes its title from Brian’s utterance — the same one Mr. Bragen once hurled across a tennis court at an opponent, leading to an angry scene that he told friends about for months.  Tautly directed by Lee Sunday Evans at 59E59 Theaters, and featuring an excellent cast, the play examines in minute detail the relationship between Brian (Bhavesh Patel) and Russ (Michael Braun) — not a friendship, really, but a competitive companionship that sustains them both at a time when each is underemployed and entering middle age.  The show is, in a sense, one long not-so-instant replay of that crucial match (the actors use rackets but no tennis balls), with Brian and Russ’s girlfriends, Leslie (Jeanine Serralles) and Kate (Jennifer Lim), as color commentators. The women, far more fluent in the language of emotion than their boyfriends, have the bulk of the dialogue. As Kate tells the audience, their goal is “to figure something out, about these men, about what makes them tick.”  On the one hand, it’s nice to see such substantial parts for women. It’s wonderful to watch Ms. Serralles, who is too often drafted into one-note roles as emotional train wrecks, get the chance to deliver a nuanced and funny portrait of someone drawn to psychological drama but not ruled by it. On the other hand, it’s quite flattering to Brian and Russ — and rather unlikely — that Leslie and Kate, who have lives and careers of their own, would be so fascinated by these events, rooted in a sport that neither woman cares for.  Presented by Andy Bragen Theater Projects and Rachel Sussman, the play suggests that the tennis court is where the true self is revealed, but Mr. Bragen (author of the semiautobiographical “This Is My Office”) doesn’t go deep enough to accomplish that, or to make us feel invested in the question. There is far more insight into character and relationships in the doubles matches of Sarah Ruhl’s “Scenes From Court Life,” which pitted the Bushes — George H. W., Barbara, George W. and Jeb — against one another in its premiere this fall at Yale Repertory Theater.  Toward the end of Mr. Bragen’s play, Brian has a lovely, wistful monologue about one of his better matches against Russ, and here we sense at last the honor and beauty of their pseudo combat. As Brian savors the memory of their ruined camaraderie, it’s fair to wonder: Why are we only hearing about this now?  Category Off Broadway, Comedy, Play  Runtime 1 hr. and 25 min.  Credits Written by Andy Bragen; Directed by Lee Sunday Evans  Cast Michael Braun, Jennifer Lim, Bhavesh Patel and Jeanine Serralles  Closing Date December 4, 2016  This information was last updated: Nov. 15, 2016  Don’t You ____ Say a WordBy Andy Bragen; directed by Lee Sunday Evans; sets by Amy Rubin; costumes by Asta Bennie Hostetter; lighting by Masha Tsimring; sound by Amy Altadonna; props by Emilie Grossman; production stage manager, Karen Evanouskas; assistant director, Will Steinberger. Presented by Andy Bragen Theater Projects, Rachel Sussman and 59E59 Theaters, Elysabeth Kleinhans, artistic director; Peter Tear, executive producer. Through Dec. 4 at 59E59 Theaters, 59 East 59th Street, Manhattan; 212-279-4200, 59e59.org. Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes.WITH: Michael Braun (Russ), Jennifer Lim (Kate), Bhavesh Patel (Brian) and Jeanine Serralles (Leslie).  A version of this review appears in print on November 15, 2016, on page C5 of the New York edition with the headline: Sustained by a Tennis Rivalry That Just Might Do Both of Them In. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
With girlfriends acting as ironic courtside commentators, Andy Bragen’s play examines a highly charged pastime for two men entering middle age.