Play Groups Books

This book is a great tool for planning crafts for preschoolers. There are many creative ideas to go along with various Bible stories. Each idea has a corresponding Bible verse and a variation of the craft to try different ways. There are also many holiday craft ideas included. I have used this book to plan a year's worth of crafts for my 3-4 year old preschool class at church. I have already used many of the ideas and the crafts are easy for them to do on their own or with a little assistance. I would highly recommend this book for anyone planning crafts for a any preschool class.

This is a lovely play. The characters are very much larger than life, many of the scenes are seriously funny too. Yet, there is that profound point about opportuntiy and finding one's place in this world. Shaw, as ever, takes on the role of social commentator with a moral stance.
My favourite scene is the one where Eliza objects to going in the bath: it would be indecent; a woman she knows went in every day, and she died. Fabulous!
I wondered whether having seen the excellent 'My Fair Lady' as a play would have spoilt reading it, but not so.
In fact, I preferred 'Pygmalion' in some ways. It is very similar, but the end is so much more fitting to the characters. Higgins is a confirmed bachelor and will stay such, the whole play confirms this. Why should he change? Indeed, his opinion is fixed, "Women upset everything. When you let them into your life, you find that the woman is driving at one thing and you're driving at another". He wouldn't have ensured Eliza the happiness she perceives will result from being treated like a lady rather than a flowergirl. Yes, she has the occasional flurry of fantasy about getting him on a desert island, but in reality, she wants Freddy...
Shaw's omission of apostrophes in certain words took some getting used to, but after some time seemed barely noticeable anymore.
The use of language to categorise people socially really worked and has stood the test of time. The accents are still recognisable if one is conversant with English accents and what they represent in terms of social structure. Whether this would have the same effect for an outside audience/reader I don't know. Some of the comedy could possibly be lost.

this volume does indeed provide an excellent source for those new to the landscape of restoration drama. that said, the drama of the restoration period itself can be fairly tedious in subject matter; anything beyond the material presented here could be considered excessive for even the boldest reader. however, this is as fine a volume as any - i'd imagine - to sum up the period. aside from some notable absences (dryden's "amphitryon", behn's "oroonoko"), the everyman collection may give all you ever wanted to see of the time.

To begin, I have to admit that I always have been less than completely impressed with the somewhat ironical poetry of Heine. True, this lyrical poetry has made him famous throughout the world. But the over-rating of his poetry has also won the under-rating of his prose. This worldly-wise author produced some of the best prose of his, or any, century. It is not for nothing that Nietzsche said of him, "And how he employs German! It will one day be said that Heine and I have been by far the first artists of the German language... (Ecce Homo, Why I am so Clever, 4.)" Yes, I know, this section starts out with Nietzsche praising Heine for his lyric poetry. But in order to demonstrate Nietzsche's debt to Heine's prose, I now present two passages for consideration:

"Of this catatrophe, deism's 21st of January, we shall speak in the following section. A peculiar awe, a mysterious piety, prevents our writing more today. Our heart is filled with shuddering compassion - it is ancient Jehova himself who is preparing for death. We knew him so well, from his cradle in Egypt, where he was reared among divine calves and crocodiles, sacred onions, ibis and cats. We saw him as he bade farewell to these playmates of his childhood and to the obelisks and sphinxes of his native Nile valley and became a little god-king in Palestine among a poor shepherd people and lived in his own temple-palace. We saw him later when he came in contact with Assyrian-Babylonian civilization and put aside his all too human passions, no longer spitting nothing but wrath and vengence, at least no longer thundering at every trifle. We saw him emigrate to Rome, the capital, where he renounced all national prejudices and proclaimed the divine equality of all nations, and with such fine phrases established an opposition to old Jupiter, and intrigued until he gained supreme authority and from the Capitol ruled the city and the world, urbem et orbem. We saw how he became even more spiritual, how he whimpered in bland bliss, becoming a loving father, a universal friend of man, a world benefactor, a philanthropist - but all this could avail him nothing. -

Do you hear the little bell ringing? They are bringing the sacraments to a dying god." (Heine, 'Concerning the History of Philosophy and Religion', p 200 of this collection.)

"When he was young, this God out of the Orient, he was harsh and vengeful, and he built himself a hell to amuse his favorites. Eventually, however, he became old and soft and mellow and pitying, more like a grandfather than a father, but most like a shaky old grandmother. Then he sat in his nook by the hearth, wilted, grieving over his weak legs, weary of the world, weary of willing, and one day he choked on his all-too-great pity." (Nietzsche, Zarathustra, Fourth Part, the section known either as 'Retired' or 'Out of Service'.)

The debt of Nietzsche to Heine in this passage is quite obvious. What isn't at all obvious is that the palm goes to Nietzsche. Marx also recognized the merit of Heine, but if the testimony of his daughter can be trusted, Marx also -in my perhaps ill-informed opinion- over-rated the poetry.

"At the request of Karl Kautsky in 1895 Eleanor Marx wrote a comment on the friendship of Heine and Marx. It read in part: "I remember both my parents ... speaking much of Heine, whom (in the early forties) they saw constantly and intimately. It is no exaggeration to say that Mohr [Marx's nickname] not only admired Heine as a poet, but had a sincere affection for him. He would even make all sorts of excuses for Heine's political vagaries. Poets, Mohr explained, were queer kittle-cattle, not to be judged by the ordinary or even extra-ordinary standards of conduct. [...] Heine used, at one time, to run up constantly to their rooms, to read them his 'verses' and ask their opinion. Again and again, Mohr would go over some 'small thing' of eight lines, discussing, analyzing. [...] Politically, as far as I can understand, they seldom discussed things. But certainly Mohr judged Heine very tenderly, and he loved not only the man's work, but also the man himself."" From a lecture by David Walsh, 'The Aesthetic Component of Socialism', January, 1998.)

But Heine was no mere poet, he had a keen, if sardonic, eye for the philosophy that went on around him, and while he mocked their secretive nature he did not spare himself.

"We now have monks of atheism who would burn Monsieur Voltaire alive because he was a hardened deist. I have to confess that this music is not pleasing to me, but it also doesn't frighten me; for I stood behind the maestro when he composed it, to be sure in indistinct and convoluted signs so that not everyone would decipher it. - I sometimes saw how he gazed around anxiously out of fear that he was understood. He was very fond of me, for he was sure I wouldn't betray him; at that time I even thought that he was servile. Once when I was annoyed with the phrase: "Everything that is, is reasonable", he laughed strangely and remarked: "It could just as well read, 'Everything that is reasonable, must be'." He glanced around hastily, but soon calmed himself, for only Heinrich Beer had heard what he said. I only understood such expressions later. Thus I also only understood later why he asserted in his philosophy of history that Christianity already represents progress because it teaches about one God who died while pagan gods knew nothing at all about death. What progress it would therefore be if God had never existed at all!" (Letters on Germany, p 289 of this collection.)

Thus Heine, in a few well-chosen words, exposes the heart of the Hegelian Left: the notion that the real (i.e., existing conditions) must be made rational and also its uncompromising atheism. And, in addition, he attributes all this to Hegel! Also note how he gently makes fun of his own comprehension; thus both he and Heinrich Beer could be trusted by Hegel - neither would 'betray him'. ...This is really very nicely done. In fact, though the tone is often playful, the matter is never frivolous. The essay 'Concerning the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany' remains an excellent piece to use to introduce first-year students to German Philosophy. His asides on Kant (his 'murder' of God, followed by his 'murder' of his first Critique to protect his servant 'Old Lampe') are especially sharp, and even a little poignant; although I think he underestimates the later Schelling throughout. Even though he is often ironic, at times, he even borders on the cynical, Heine never seemed to despair of humanity having a brighter future.

This book of Heine's prose consists of not only 'The Romantic School' and 'Concerning the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany' but also some letters and excerpts too. The 'Concerning the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany' remains indispensable for anyone starting to study German philosophy and really should not be passed up. In fact, the only way Heine could have been better was if he had become a genuine philosopher. ...But, honestly, how many of them are there?

This book tells a cute asian story, and directions to follow on building the two main characters: the rooster and the dragon. Also a few pointers on how to present the story and make your own little "shadow theatre". It's a good buy, although I initially thought the shadow puppets came already with the book, not just the instructions.

Murder reenactment directors, eccentric Euopean socialites, scam artists marooned on a crumbling cargo ship- these are the people who populate Ribman's enjoyable although rather odd plays. In all three plays, he succeeds in creating interesting characters you care about; however, at times he seems to be so involved in his characters eccentricities and quirks that he forgets about plot development. Overall, though, a very funny, enjoyable read.

My wife and I do dramas on accocion for our church and we have to find ones that are 2 people based. This book was just that to help us when we run dry of creativity. With my wife and I having met them we can truely say that Paul and Nicole are truley blessed in this and their ministry let's it show in this title.

Great Work indeed.

The games in this book require few props, which is one reason i like it. However there are many numerical and verbal exercises which might not be suitable for all groups. The games are well classified and easy to find in the book. The ones on creative thinking, learning and communication are particularly good. I work with students and have used many of the games with success. This book can be used for any type of audience, overall it is a pretty good buy.

This play is very funny. There are also a number of monologues in it that can be used for auditions. Barry's struggle in the play to come off as being cocky and sure of himself is contrasted nicely with his inherent vulnerability. The monologues from all the other characters also give an interesting introspective into the life and mind of Barry Champlain. The main dialogue of the other characters in the play comes from the monologues, which create depth of character in both the person speaking, and Barry. Throughout the course of the play I am made to love, hate, feel sorry for and admire Barry. I applaud this play.

The opening essay, "Foundations For A Theatre," is the clearest and most linear statement to date of Richard Foreman's work, which re-considers the entire process of making theatre (from the formulation of a script to rehearsal to performance) and what kind of experience an evening of theatre may convey.

No one is creating theatre like Richard Foreman, whose associative (and sometimes dissociative) writing process contrives to capture a truthful portrait of his own perception at work. In rehearsal, Foreman creates an environment rebelling against any mimetic presentation of everyday reality, which is a kind of shared dream. He uses every theatrical element at his disposal to surprise and dazzle the spectator, and bring awareness to our radical impulses before our intellects "understand" them (and change them into something else).

Although his project sounds very cerebral, his theatre is very much about the senses, and his art grabs you on a gut level.

The book includes several plays, though it might have been helpful to include a script without the production stage directions to help understand the way he generates a script. (A later book, MY HEAD WAS A SLEDGEHAMMER, does include this and it helps a great deal.) Also, more photographs and illustrations would support his essay on visual design and use of space.

This artist is way ahead of his time, using theatre to address the process of perception itself rather than narrative thinking. The importance of this book, addressing this work to a general reader, may not be appreciated for quite some time.