The uneasy existence of upper-middle-class suburbanites Agnes and Tobias and their permanent houseguest, Agnes's witty and alcoholic sister Claire, is disrupted by the sudden appearance of lifelong family friends Harry and Edna, fellow empty nesters with free-floating anxiety, who ask to stay with them to escape an unnamed terror.

They soon are followed by Agnes and Tobias's bitter 36-year-old daughter Julia, who returns home following the collapse of her fourth marriage.

Claire appears and apologizes to Agnes that her own nature is such to bring out in her sister the full force of her brutality.

She often maintains this balance, or order, by not confronting issues, not taking a stand, and not processing emotions.

It is not until near the end of the play that she brings up issues that show cracks in her relationship with her husband.

She concludes this commentary with the words: “If we change for the worse with drink, we are an alcoholic.” Agnes's relationship with her daughter Julia does not fare much better.

She understands that there are some boundaries that should not be pushed, some things that “we may not do ... not ask, for fear of looking in a mirror.” And it is also through her reflection that the play resolves.

Edna has looked into that mirror at the end of the play and has decided that if the tables were turned, if Agnes and Tobias had come to her, she would not have allowed them to stay at her house.

Besides both having been businessmen and meeting at the same club, it is unclear what else Harry and Tobias have in common except that they have known one another for a long time and neither sleeps with his wife.

Julia has set a pattern in her life of marrying for the wrong reasons and then divorcing and returning home.

While the other characters either hide their emotions in alcohol or avoid confrontations by smothering their feelings in banal talk, Julia brings matters to the forefront.

In her attempts to regain control of her bedroom, Julia makes everyone confront the issues of the play, namely defining relationships, wants, needs, and rights.

At one point, Julia forces the issue first by having an emotional tantrum, then by upsetting the furniture and all the clothes in her bedroom, and finally by threatening everyone with a gun.

Julia falls back on her childhood to claim her spot, even though she is nearing middle age.

Tobias shows very little affection to his wife except in the way that he reinforces her thoughts, giving her assurances, for instance, that she, of all people, should not worry about going mad.

Contradicting this conclusion is the story concerning his cat that Tobias tells in the middle of the play.

The original Broadway production, directed by Alan Schneider, opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on September 22, 1966, and closed on January 14, 1967, after 132 performances and 12 previews.

The cast included Hume Cronyn as Tobias, Jessica Tandy as Agnes, Rosemary Murphy as Claire, Henderson Forsythe as Harry, Carmen Mathews as Edna, and Marian Seldes as Julia.

The scenic design was by William Ritman, costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge, and lighting by Tharon Musser.

[2] A revival produced by Lincoln Center Theater at the Plymouth Theatre opened on April 21, 1996, and ran for 185 performances and 27 previews.

It was directed by Gerald Gutierrez, and starred Rosemary Harris as Agnes, George Grizzard as Tobias, John Carter as Harry, Elizabeth Wilson as Edna, Elaine Stritch as Claire, and Mary Beth Hurt as Julia.

It starred Katharine Hepburn, Paul Scofield, Lee Remick, Joseph Cotten, and Kate Reid.

It starred Eileen Atkins as Agnes, Maggie Smith as Claire, John Standing as Tobias, Annette Crosbie as Edna, Sian Thomas as Julia, and James Laurenson as Harry.

[3] A 2011 revival was presented at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, London, directed by James Macdonald.

The cast included Lucy Cohu (Julia), Diana Hardcastle (Edna), Ian McElhinney (Harry), Tim Pigott-Smith (Tobias), Imelda Staunton (Claire), and Penelope Wilton (Agnes).

[4] A Delicate Balance was produced in 2013 at the McCarter Theater, with Edward Albee attending rehearsals and contributing minor rewrites.

It featured Kathleen Chalfant as Agnes, John Glover as Tobias, and was directed by Emily Mann.

Sets were designed by Daniel Ostling, costumes by Jennifer von Mayrhauser, and lighting by Lap Chi Chu.

[5][6] A new revival directed by Pam MacKinnon ran on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre.

[7] The cast featured Glenn Close as Agnes, John Lithgow as Tobias, Martha Plimpton as Julia, Lindsay Duncan as Claire, Bob Balaban as Harry and Clare Higgins as Edna.