Description
Book SynopsisShortlisted for the STR Theatre Book Prize 2023A LA Times Best Theater Book of 2022Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, by most accounts the leading British playwrights of our time, might seem to come from very different aesthetic, cultural and political worlds. But as Carey Perloff's fascinating new book reveals, the two have much in common. By examining these contemporaries alongside one another and in the context of the rehearsal room, we can glean new insights and connections, including the impact of their Jewish background on their work and their passion for the details of stagecraft. Readers of
Pinter and Stoppard: A Director's View will emerge with a set of tools for approaching their work in a performance environment and for unlocking the mysteries of the plays for audiences.Esteemed theatre director Carey Perloff draws upon her first-hand experience of working with both writers, creating case studies of particular plays in production to provide new ways
Trade ReviewAn invaluable book. * Los Angeles Times *
Perloff is free to make the most of her experiences working closely with the playwrights ... with professional depth and a personal perspective that includes the occasional difficulties. * The Times Literary Supplement *
Unpretentiously written and free of academic jargon,
Pinter and Stoppard: A Director’s View is a valuable resource. * CHOICE *
Carey Perloff’s account of her experience of working closely as a director with two of the greatest playwrights of our times makes a compelling and dramatic book, full of fascinating revelations and comparisons, sharp perceptions and warm humanity. * Dame Hermione Lee *
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION: The Case for a Shared View of the Work of Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard CHAPTER ONE: The Jewish Connection CHAPTER TWO: The Launch: Pinter and Stoppard in Context CHAPTER THREE: Finding the Voice in Rehearsal CHAPTER FOUR: Excavating “Rules of Play” in Pinter’s
The Birthday Party CHAPTER FIVE: “Wanting to Know” and the Rehearsal Process of Stoppard’s
Indian Ink CHAPTER SIX: From 9/11 to the Recession: Pinter’s Terror and the Collapse of Certainty in
Celebration, The Room and
The Homecoming CHAPTER 7: Anatomizing Guilt: Stoppard’s
Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Invention of Love and
The Hard Problem CONCLUSION INDEX
