These short plays illustrate different forms of drama and provide a useful link between improvisation and longer scripted plays at upper secondary level. They give students an opportunity to discover and unravel stylistic conventions in a creative and immediately rewarding manner.
A series of sketches and vignettes. They are brief, witty and pointed. They are love encounters - the games people play. Here is the idiot way quarrels start up, or the way people meet and fence with one another. After Liverpool is not a play, but a suite of pieces. Published with Games.Flexible casting
As the play begins, Anne and Mervyn, a seemingly well-settled middle-aged couple, are awaiting the arrival of Helen and David, a younger couple who were formerly their neighbors and close friends. Their reunion begins on a light and humorous note, but as the after-dinner talk grows more serious we become aware that the two couples had once engaged in an adulterous arrangement and both have found it difficult to deal with the self-recriminations which this has created. Mervyn has begun to drink more than he should; Anne is coldly cynical; and Helen and David have turned to group therapy. But their problems still remain and, as the conversation becomes more revealing and provocative the underlying values of human existence are drawn into question. In the end the inescapability of the deep-seated guilt is powerfully evident with Mervyn, his vulnerability touchingly evident, sinking into tearful, defeated despair.
The plays in this volume, which complements Selected Plays 1963-1983 are Largo Desolato, Temptation and Redevelopment in versions by Tom Stoppard, George Theiner and James Saunders respectively.Their themes are freedom of thought, Faustian opportunism and town planning as metaphors for life in Eastern Europe before the collapse of Communism, all handled with their author's characteristic wit and irony, and written before he was translated from a prison to the highest office of state.
Recognized for its cultural significance, this work contributes to the foundational knowledge of civilization. Scholars have highlighted its importance, indicating that it offers valuable insights into historical and societal contexts.
Edmund's return home for his mother's funeral forces him to confront unresolved family issues and new challenges that have arisen in his absence. As he navigates this emotional landscape, he reconnects with the enduring family servant and the enigmatic "Italian girl," whose presence reflects the complexities of family dynamics. The narrative explores themes of isolation, familial obligations, and the struggle to break free from the past, featuring a cast of four women and three men who embody these intricate relationships.
The story unfolds as three distinct sisters gather at their mother's home, anticipating their father's passing. As they confront this shared moment of grief, the narrative delves into the intricacies of their individual lives, revealing deep-seated emotions, unresolved issues, and the bonds that both unite and divide them. Through their interactions, the sisters explore themes of family dynamics, love, and the impact of loss, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of themselves and each other.