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Title: Naked Masks: Five Plays by Luigi Pirandello ISBN: 0-452-01082-9 Publisher: Plume Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1952 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (3 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: highly recommended
Comment: Whenever I see anything either written by Pirandello or edited by Bentley my interest is immediately piqued. This volume, however, goes above expectations. The Nobel Prize winning Pirandello delves into the nature both of theatre and of human beings. My favorite of the plays here is "Six Characters in Search of an Author," which somehow straddles the border between realism and absurdism in exploring psyche and dramatic construct. For fans of modern theatre and renaissance drama alike this book makes an excellent addition to the home library.
Rating: 4
Summary: fantastic
Comment: After reading these plays, I can understand why Pirandello won the Nobel Prize. All of the plays deal with illusion and reality in ways that contemporary writers still struggle with. Both Six Characters in Search of an Author, and Each in His Own Way play with the idea that the audience willfuly suspends reality in order to watch a play (or a movie for that matter). He plays with the idea that what something appears to be is as important, if not more important, that what it really is. Again, illusion versus reality. Although all of the plays were interesting,and entertaining, the two standouts were "Six Characters...," and "It is So! (If You Think So)." The former deals with an acting troupe that is approached by six characters who have been conceived by a writer, but not fully realized. The Characters attempt to get the manager of the troupe to write their script, and thus give them artistic life. "It is So..." deals with the nature of how we know what we know, and how we decide what to believe in terms of what is real and what is not.
The only problem with this collection of plays (and the only reason that I didn't give it five stars) is that in the introduction to "Six Characters..." the editor discusses "Six Characters in Search of an Author," "Each in His own Way," and "tonight We Improvise," as a trilogy. He takes the time to discuss the relationship between these plays, and yet "Tonight We Improvise" is omitted from the collection. Thus, we are left with only the first two plays of the trilogy. What makes it worse is that they are both excellent plays (making me wish I didn't have to scrounge up another book to get the third). Other than that, this is an outstanding collection. Eric Bentley (the editor) writes an informative introduction to Pirandello, and adds Pirandello's own thoughts on "Six Characters...," as well as biographical information on the playwrite, in the appendix. I would recomend this for people who are, or aren't familiar with the work of Luigi Pirandello. It's definitely worth the read.
Rating: 3
Summary: Modern Drama Must-Read
Comment: I would recommend this collection to anyone interested in modern drama. Focus particularly on Henry IV. The play in itself is incredibly bizarre upon the first reading. Upon later readings, however, deeper meanings arise. A worthy read.
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Title: Galileo by Bertolt Brecht ISBN: 0802130593 Publisher: Grove/Atlantic Pub. Date: 01 September, 1991 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
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Title: Pygmalion and Major Barbara (Bantam Classics) by George Bernard Shaw ISBN: 055321408X Publisher: Bantam Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 1992 List Price(USD): $5.95 |
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Title: Strindberg: Five Plays by August Strindberg, Harry G. Carlson ISBN: 0520046986 Publisher: University of California Press Pub. Date: 01 August, 1983 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Emperor Jones, "Anna Christie", the Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill, Eugene Gladstone O'Neill ISBN: 0679763953 Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pub. Date: 01 November, 1995 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: The Ubu Plays by Alfred Jarry ISBN: 0802150101 Publisher: Grove Press Pub. Date: 01 June, 1988 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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