Act One

True West is about the sibling rivalry between two estranged brothers who have reconnected. The play begins with brothers Austin and Lee sitting in their mother's house. This is the first time they have seen each other in five years. They are not on good terms, but Austin attempts to appease his older brother, who is more dominant. We learn that their mother is on vacation in Alaska and that Austin is housesitting. Austin is trying to work on his screenplay but Lee continually distracts him with nonsense questions. The two brothers seem on edge with each other. When Austin suggests that Lee leaves, Lee threatens to steal things from the neighborhood. Austin calms him down and the night ends with them on neutral terms.

Lee talks about the security level of their mother's house, and how Lee went into the desert to find their father. Austin then tells Lee to leave the house because a film producer, Saul, is coming to look at Austin's screenplay (described as a "period piece"). Lee agrees to leave in exchange for Austin's car keys. Austin is reluctant at first but relents, and Lee promises that he return it back by six. Lee departs.

Saul and Austin are discussing their agreement when Lee enters with a stolen television set. Saul and Lee discuss golf and make plans to play the next day, excluding Austin because he does not play, despite his desire that Lee have nothing to do with Saul. Lee proposes a script idea to Saul and Saul reacts positively.

Lee describes his story out loud. Austin writes it down, but stops, saying it does not resemble real life. The brothers quarrel and Austin asks Lee for his car keys back. Lee assumes Austin is trying to make him leave, and Lee says he cannot be kicked out. Austin says he would not kick him out because he is his brother. Lee counters that being brothers means nothing because in-family murders are most common. Austin assures him they will not be driven to murder over a movie script. The two admit to being envious of each other's lives, Lee returns the car keys and the scene closes with Austin typing Lee's story.

Act Two

Lee returns from his golf game at noon, with a set of golf clubs that Saul has given him. He tells Austin that the clubs are part of an advance that Saul has promised him for the story idea outline that he "dictated" to Austin. They celebrate until Lee informs Austin that he expects Austin to write the screenplay. Austin questions this, knowing he has his own work, but Lee goes on to inform him that Saul has chosen to drop Austin's screenplay. Austin warns Lee that he needs to be careful with messing about with this line of work and that he has a lot at stake on his own project. The scene ends with Austin threatening to leave and go to the desert as Lee tries to calm him down.

Austin confronts Saul about his decision to buy Lee's screenplay. He argues that Saul only offered to buy the screenplay because he lost a bet on the golf course. Saul wants Austin to write both his and Lee's story, but Austin refuses. Austin thinks that Lee's story is without merit or plausibility. Due to Austin's rejection of the job, Saul decides to drop Austin's story and to find a different writer for Lee's story. The scene ends with Saul making plans for lunch with Lee.

Austin is drunk and annoying Lee, who is now at the typewriter, laboriously trying, hunt-and-peck style, to type out a screenplay. Austin taunts his brother with advice and says that this is the first time he has enjoyed spending time with Lee since he arrived. He insists that Lee is not a real screenwriter, and when Lee informs him that he has an advance coming on his script, Austin claims he could burgle houses just as well as Lee can. Lee bets that he could not even steal a toaster, but they cannot agree on the stakes. Instead, Lee asks in earnest for Austin's help with the technical parts of the writing, offering to pay him money and then disappear like their father did and leave Austin alone. Austin argues about how well their father ended up, and the scene closes as they drink together.

Austin is polishing toasters that he stole while Lee is smashing a typewriter early in the morning. The two continue to do this while they are carrying on a conversation. Austin is proud of what he has done. Lee wants to see a woman, but Austin refuses because he is married. Lee becomes angry while on the telephone with the operator because he cannot find a pen to write down what the operator is saying. In his search for a pen or pencil, Lee strews the contents of all the kitchen drawers on the floor. Austin begs Lee to go to the desert with him because he thinks there is nothing for him where he is. The brothers make a deal that Austin will write the play for Lee if Lee takes him to the desert.

In the final scene, the house is in shambles and Lee and Austin are working vigorously on their script when their mother walks in, suitcases in hand. She stares at her sons, mouth agape, until Lee finally notices her. She is stunned by her sons' appearance and the state of her house, but she remains calm. She announces that she is expecting a visit from Pablo Picasso. Her sons tell her that Picasso has been dead for some years. Austin tells her that he and Lee are going to go into the desert, but Lee says they might have to postpone the trip because he does not think Austin is cut out for the desert lifestyle. Austin responds by attempting to strangle Lee with the telephone cord. Their mother says that she is going to a motel because she does not recognize the house as hers. Lee ceases struggling and lies inert, and Austin finally lets go. He is worried for a second that he has killed his brother. As Austin moves for the door, Lee rises with fire in his eyes. The two brothers face one another, fists raised, as the lights fade.

International and regional productions

The play was produced in London by the Royal National Theatre at the Cottesloe Theatre, opening on December 3, 1981. Directed by John Schlesinger, the cast starred Bob Hoskins as Lee and Antony Sher as Austin, with Patricia Hayes as Mom and Shane Rimmer as Saul.^[15]

The Donmar Warehouse presented the play in 1994, starring Mark Rylance and Michael Rudko, directed by Matthew Warchus.^[16] Sheridan Morley wrote, "This is really a two-man play and as Rylance and Rudko prowl around each other, giving two of the best-contrasted and indeed best performances in town, 'True West' seems somehow a much stronger, funnier and more savage play than I recall from its first National outing over here in the early 1980s."^[17] The production began at the Quarry Theatre in Leeds. Matt Wolf called the Donmar Warehouse production a "blazing revival", "one of the best-attended of [Sam] Mendes' early years". The male leads swapped roles every 3 or 4 performances.^[18]

Wilson Milam directed a production at the Bristol Old Vic in November 2003, with Phil Daniels as Lee and Andrew Tiernan as Austin.^[19] The British Theatre Guide reviewer noted, "The design, by Dick Bird, who was responsible for the much-admired Great Expectations at the Old Vic earlier this year, is excellent. White framed windows opening on to a patio area with plants, furniture and skies beyond."^[20] The production replaced the smashing of a typewriter with a modern working laptop, and used 20 working toasters. The production caused the Bristol Old Vic to remove the first three rows of seats for fear that the audience would be harmed and to install a Perspex shield for safety reasons. It received much critical acclaim from the British national press and was cited as "Pick of the Week" in The Guardian newspaper (October 27, November 2, 2003).

Soulpepper, Toronto's largest theatre company, presented Patricia Hamilton, Stuart Hughes and Mike Ross in a production directed by Nancy Palk at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, running in April – May 2013.^[21]

Pittsburgh Public Theater's production was directed by Pamela Berlin, with Ken Barnett (Austin) and David Mogentale (Lee), running from November 7 to December 8, 2013, at the O'Reilly Theater.^[22]

The Citizen's Theatre in Glasgow presented True West in October 29 – November 16, 2013, directed by Philip Breen, starring Alex Ferns and Eugene O'Hare.^[23] This production ran at the Tricycle Theatre in London in September 2014.^[24]

Ivy Arts Centre, University of Surrey, performed by Lone Twin on 24 February 2015.^[25]

The Plank Theatre Company produced the play at the Complex Theatre in Hollywood, California, in October 2017. The actors, Jacob Grodnik and Drake Shannon, alternated the roles of "Austin" and "Lee" for each performance. "Saul" was performed by Mishone Feigin and the "Mom" was played by Melissa Jobe.

The Vaudeville Theatre in London presented the first West End production of the play which ran from 23 November 2018 to 23 February 2019. Directed by Matthew Dunster, the production starred Kit Harington as Austin and Johnny Flynn as Lee.^[26]

The Roundabout Theater Company produced the play on Broadway with Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano, which ran from December 27, 2018, to March 17, 2019.^[27]

A production directed by Braden Abraham ran as part of the Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2019–2020 season, between January 17 and February 16, 2020.^[28]