Play Groups Books

Had there been no Shakespeare, John Ford's play "'Tis Pity She's a Whore" would never have been written--but Shakespeare's tremendous example not only provided part of context of this play, but also obscures it. "'Tis Pity" is not as good as Shakespeare's very best works (the great tragedies and romances). Ford struggles to match Shakespeare's second-best works (e.g., the great comedies such as "As You Like It").

But judging Ford in comparison with Shakespeare is unfair. Perhaps a few score of writers really match Shakespeare: Homer, Sappho, Ovid, Virgil, perhaps Dante. I wouldn't give Shakespeare a five-star rating and give, say, Pope, Keats, or Austen a four-star rating. Nor would I give Ford a three-star rating next to Shakespeare's five-star and Keats' and Austen's four-star ratings.

In the bell curve of literature, Shakespeare and Homer (in my opinion) occupy the vanishingly small right side of the curve. Very few writers match Ford's achievement in "'Tis Pity." The play is powerful, cleanly plotted, and brilliantly written. In particular, Ford does a great job in creating sympathy for all of his major characters, and in particular for the incestuous lovers at the heart of the play. The play suffers only by comparison with Shakespeare and perhaps a handful of other great dramatists.

More important, the New Mermaids edition is very useful. The introduction is thoughtful and thorough; the page layout is clear (especially important with drama); and the footnotes are generally useful. The editor, Wiggins, sometimes elucidates matters that are perfectly clear--but I would rather the editor take that approach than leave me in the dark.

In short, serious students of literature will want to read this play, and the New Mermaids edition provides a well-annotated text using modern English spelling.

Incest and dirty double hearted deeds that led all to this tragedy!
In cattle and horses siblings are breed that good genes double and bad ones die out.
In humans it engenders a madness of the superego
that leads to downfall and disgrace for all.
" Get thee to a nunnery " is the other side of "Tis Pity She's A Whore".
There is no wrong save "they" said it were so.
For men are but animals and their empty morals
all useless inventions?
We would better in these latter days trust
to DNA science than outmoded conventions.

This is a highly emotional and well-written work that explores a very taboo subject matter. The play revolves a case of forbidden love, in this case, Giovanni's incestuous love for his sister Annabella. It's pretty easy to figure out after the first few pages that the play will have a tragic ending, but there are several major surprises that happen along the way, and the final scene is unbelievably violent. I'd love the chance to stage a production of "Tis Pity" one of these days...from a directorial standpoint, the script is filled with many interesting possibilities.

This play is an excellent example of incest in the Renaissance. It's also fairly short and very readable. Bergetto is an interesting character and provides much needed comic relief in this play which is ultimately quite tragic. The title is misleading in many ways, but female sexuality is problematic throughout.

I chose to read this play because firstly, Anthony Burgess mentioned it in his book "English Literature" (1857) and secondly, because it was a short play. Or maybe even thirdly - the central theme [incest] it deals with is treated in an entirely different manner from other literary works. The nature of the incest is frank and horrifying. The intensity of the unlawful relationship is compromised by the coarsening of Giovanni's love for Annabella; their ethereal relationship gradually loses its innocence in the course of the play, culminating in Annabella's pregnancy and finally her death in Giovanni's hands.

While we certainly cannot put Ford in the ranks of Shakespeare, he deserves credit for a play whose themes of sexual jealousy, revenge, violence and incent intertwine in a most heartrending way.

I loved Aime Cesaire's Return to the Native Land which read from a library, the verses roll like thunder, and I wonder if it is in print anymore. Please email indianguy99@yahoo.com.

Yes, this is a re-working of The Tempest from a Caribbean perspective. Cesaire basically extrapolates Shakespeare's anti-colonial criticism and backfits the story into that scheme. Of course, the play is modernized and packed with civil rights movement references. Caliban has a stronger role, but very hackneyed. This play reads like a political pamphlet; everything is spelled out for you. I think it has social importance, but from a literary standpoint it was forgettable.

Cesaire's A TEMPEST wears its politics on its sleeve, and that can be grating even when its political message is agreeable with your own leanings. This is not a particularly subtle work, but it is of supreme importance to understanding a number of socio-political movements, especillly as they relate to the Carribean (though it reaches far beyond that limited geographic range in its implications). Order this in conjunction with Shakepeare's original, Dryden's rewrite, Rodo's ARIEL, Retamar's CALIBAN and perhaps PROSPERO'S BOOKS starring John Gielgud. Then go to town...or perhaps away from it.

Cesaire's reinvention of Shakespeare's play is an unimpressive piece of work by almost any standard. It moves with the subtlety of a train wreck, shoving its political agenda down the reader's or viewer's throat. The entire affair is so ham-fisted and simplistic in flaunting its politics that it comes across as infantile bellyaching instead of the brilliant re-imagining that Cesaire is so obviously hoping for (and certainly could have achieved). Parts of this play are painful to experience, and read next to Shakespeare's original, it's simply embarrassing.

Postcolonial theorists and critics will often hasten to engage in apologetics for this mediocrity. They will explain that Cesaire is "subverting a western form" or that he is intentionally evoking discomfort and anger in his audience. The former is a typical excuse for colonial works that are simply bad; the latter is probably true but is unable to justify or even to explain the abysmal quality of this play.

As in his Discourse on Colonialism, Cesaire is guilty of ruining a potentially great work by oversimplification and vacuous rhetoric.

Aime Cesaire wrote this variation of The Tempest from an Afrocentric, Carribean perspective. It is a magnificent achievement. Caliban becomes the hero as Cesaire advances a variety of different ideas. By changing the perspective, A Tempest explores a lot of issues like rascism and colonialism. Prospero becomes the Oppressor and Caliban is the Native wrongly robbed of his ancestral right to rule his own land. Ariel is reduced to something of an Uncle Tom. To his credit, Cesaire never allows any character in the play become completely unsympathetic. That is a grand feat. It is consistent with Shakespeare who also grants humanity even to Caliban. I found this adaptation to be brilliant. Cesaire follows the theme of The Tempest all the while making it his own work. I was even compelled to reread The Tempest just for comparative purposes. The reread of The Tempest served only to heighten my appreciation for A Tempest. This is work that should be read by anyone interested in the theatre.

I am giving this book three stars as a beginner's book, and only one star as being representative of what it's really about. So the average is two stars.

This is NOT a book on playing Hawaiian ukulele music, which is what I thought it would be. It's a beginner's book on playing ukulele in general, the only thing Hawaiian about it is the cover and a few pictures of a Hawaiian woman holding a ukulele. I don't consider including Aloha Oe as one of the selections as making this a book on Hawaiian ukulele.

As a beginner's book, it's not bad, but there are better ones out there today that include DVDs, as well as a lot of free online instruction that covers these same basics. I am an intermediate player and I'm disappointed that there wasn't enough information about this book in the description because that would help in clarifying that this is a beginner's book that covers just regular folk songs and basic strums. I thought there would be sections on Hawaiian music (other than just Aloha Oe) and on things like Hawaiian turnarounds, etc.

I would only buy this if you are brand new to ukulele and have not played an instrument before. And even then, as I said there are better choices out there. It's also hard to use any book to learn an instrument when you're at a rank beginner's level without having some sort of interactive instruction with a real person who can evaluate your technique and give you feedback.

Package received prior to Christmas even thought they couldn't promise early delivery... Outstanding! Package well wrapped to avoid water damage and prompt delivery.
Thank you!

Great Book! Really easy to follow with plenty of good pictures of finger positions.

the title is kind of misleading - I expected more traditional Hawaiian songs & less "see spot run" type instruction -

the play Shirley Valentine was boring, and pov, who wants to read about some old crump who talks to the wall? not me......

Shirley Valentine has become a hero to tens of thousands of women who've studied her character and applauded her life choices . . . in drama classes on (at least) two continents. Shirley is commonly uncommon, absolutely candid, and full of a range of emotions from cold fury to childlike giddiness. Anyone who doesn't know and love Shirley; anyone who hasn't made her their friend . . . please read about her!

This is the SCREENPLAY - not the stage version. Beware! I thought I was ordering the stage play. It's still a nice book though, with lots of notes and background info.

Shirley Valentine is a lovely character. She is a woman who started her life with fire and promise, and who found herself in her kitchen talking to the walls. Not because she is mad, but because her life is loveless, predicatable and dry. Until her friend takes her to Greece and her life changes, in many ways.

This is an absolutely delightful story. We can all identify with Shirley and her need to have a life with a little more meaning, and we can all cheer her as she goes about getting it. This is a poignant, sad and funny story, and it is a modern classic.

For avid Andromeda fans,this book provides a trip down memory lane. If you're not familiar with the show,this is a great introduction to it. I only wish Mr.Wigmore had written a follow up book on seasons 3-5. In any case,I love this book and the photos are stunning!

I was looking forwards to this book as Andromeda has a lot of background that's only touched on various aliens, equiptment, races and events that turn up fleetingly in episodes that could be fully explored in this book they're not.

As you'd expect most of the book is an episode guide but the episode reviews are profusely illustrated which is nice (visually the book is very attractive) the actual reviews are not up to the quality of the official andromedatv website however in terms of background information and insight.

So what about the supplimental information character reviews finally someone found some good pictures of the cast (though that's no excuse for using the same full page shot of Beka twice within 10 pages).

A lot of the illustrations are taken from the bonus material at the back of the DVDs especially for the set and equiptment designs.

Rounding out the book are a set of cast and crew interviews which are again short but well illustrated.

In the end you are left with a package that is nice to look at but shows an inadequate attention to detail including repeated photos, missing and mislabled photos and a few that seem to be of nothing very much. The text content is servicable but little more than that definate room for improvement. Eye Candy

This book does not cost $69.00. It's been this way for years. I bought the book a couple of years ago and it was less than $25.00. I'm surprised someone hasn't said something to Amazon by now. I remember that I mentioned the incorrect price when I bought the book at Borders. Evidently, they didn't bother to pass the information on to Amazon. I hadn't realized the price was still incorrect until someone mentioned it on a list I'm on. Yeesh!

The book is okay. It's the same as what used to be on the official Andromeda site. So all episodes are given a blurb and there are some other nice details and pictures.

I bought this book while looking over several different monologue books for audition materials. I used a monologue to audition for my college's B.F.A. in Musical Theatre degree, and made the program. The book is well organized in a way that is helpful to find monologues by subject material instead of providing a long list of playwrights and character names, which really is not helpful at all unless you are already familiar with the monologues. This book is truly terrific, especially if you are trying to find monologues for things such as Sense Memory work, since you can easily find a monologue by subject matter.

I love the discription of the context and the characters that is on every monologue. It is poorly orginized, but there are some great pieces and shows in this book. Check it out.

I don't like the index in the front of the book. The headings of the units that the book is organized into are kind of cryptic. It's hard to find what you are looking for. Some of the monologue selections would be poor choices for contest or auditions. They wouldn't appeal to every kind of judge or director. There still are some great pieces though, so I had to give it 2 stars.

We tried this book, but found it un-usable. Totally leaves out the grace of God and focuses instead on human works...glorifies man's efforts instead of Jesus's redemptive sacrifice for all who would accept Him. I was very disappointed. A couple of the skits were very condemning, and would not be acceptable in a situation where the point was reaching out to those who might be seeking.

I recently brought this book and my youth group performed one of the plays it was awesome. I highly reccommend this book to anyone involved in Youth ministries.

I think this is a very dynamic book, It is for a time such as this. This is a book full of topics that will confront some church issues and also teen issues. I recommend that every Church buy this book. I could really tell that the author of this book was really inspired by God himself.

As a drama director for a large church in Colorado Springs, I give this book two thumbs up for creativity and usability. The sketches are on-target and always are well received by our congregation. I liked the other books by this author too...and have adapted a number of those for youth to great effect. Such a great use of humor in an easy-to-produce package!

I had high hoped for this text, but it fell into all of the stereotypical Christian literature pitfalls. The writer starts with high hopes, but he seems to get scared and settle for cutesy instead of cutting. If you want your drama program to be "okay" or "good enough", then this might be an okay resource.....IF Amazon marks it down even more. If you want your ministry to surpass the typical, easy and cheesy, leave this screen now and never look back!

This book is an excellent resource for adults. The skits are well written and thoughtful, however some do not fit with the scripture reference given in the book. This is not a problem however as you can easily find scripture texts which fit more appropriately with the skit. Most of them fit with at least one of the mentioned biblical text however not with all those referenced. I used these skits for my adult Sunday School class. These skits can be performed without excessive costumes and sets.

Some of the dramas are more geared for a younger audience... one of the plays is a take off on the X-files and one is a spoof at Frankenstein called Christianstien. For the most part, adults of every age should be able to understand the biblical message. All of these plays are humerous, and I would have liked to have one or two with a more serious tone.( thus the 4 star rating instead of 5 stars) Although they are humerous they are not silly... and they all have a point worth making.

I have found this play very exciting to read, but the getting in was a little bit difficult. But I admire the variety of the vocabulary that Shaffer made use of. He handled a couple of topics, which are very interesting: I.e. the existence of god, different cultures and their organisation, religion and a motive that goes through the whole story: The word. Shaffer encourages the reader to make his own opinion about questions like: «Is it justified to break the word if you act in consciousness and for the good of your crew?»

Pizarro's problem as an illegitimate son and his existential questions are not discussed. Something that makes this play very special is the fact that Old Martin occurs time after time and tells about his experiences and the happenings, when he had been in Peru.

In short: + Interesting play with a demanding vocabulary - Hard to get in

A great play about the slaughter of the Incas, idealism lost, compromise and corruption. Excellent characterizations. Interesting subtext covers the pitfalls of imperialism. both Incan and Spanish.

Caveat: Longman Literature version (Editor: Graham-Adriani and Series Editor Blatchford, ISBN 0-582-06014-1) should be avoided. Vital and if not merely enriching stage directions are not included in this publication/edition.

Royal Hunt Of The Sun contains three tragedies: One of destruction of the great Inca empire; the tragedy of Pizarro, who destroys something for which he has been searching all his life, and the tragedy of Martin Ruiz, whose youthful idealism is destroyed by his experience in Peru. The main theme of this play which concerns the search for religion. All through the play Shaffer contrasts the beauty and high values of the Incas and the greed and ugliness of the Spanish.

I bought this because the Irish brogues were sometimes a little hard to understand on-stage, plus I wanted to relive that delicious second-act card game again (the only way to do that with a play is to read the script). It's great seeing how the actors brought scenes and words to life. I've already loaned this book to others who saw the play before it closed on Broadway this month.

The living rooms in "The Homecoming" by Harold Pinter, "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" by Martin McDonagh, and in this play, "The Seafarer" by Conor McPherson are as scroungy, grotty, and disreputable as the males who inhabit these dumpy premises. The house is north of Dublin. Some plays can be read and enjoyed as a partial substitute for seeing a live performance, but after reading this one, I realize it is essential to see a live presentation to get the full import of this play. It is an actor's dream for the current five man ensemble on Broadway because the stage business is as powerful as the lines.
There is a Faustian pact element to the story. The central focus is on Sharky, a loser, who lives with his blind brother. Two visitors and a mysterious fifth man, Mr. Lockhart, gather together Christmas Eve day and night and get extremely drunk. They play cards, money is lost, and the story opens up to the audience. Some of this is familiar territory, and the plot is not too complicated. Lockhart probably has the best lines, but the other characters would be a joy to watch. There is great comedy here along with the more serious stuff. The characters are beautifully crafted, and they are a decidedly odd bunch. Each one a piece of work in his own peculiar way.
As in most plays, secrets from the past are unearthed and become grist for the dramatist's mill. When Lockhart and Sharky are alone, Lockhart reminds him of a card game they had in the past. For these two and the audience the game of cards becomes a transforming experience. The play is well worth a read but try to see it on stage if at all possible. It would make a great movie or television play, but, I think, the audience would be limited.
Nine Lives Too Many
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy
Clawed Back from the Dead

Sharky lives with his older brother Richard and a crony named Ivan in a coastal village north of Dublin. Richard and Ivan are constantly drunk; Sharky is uneasily sober. On Christmas Eve, they are visited by beer-swilling Nicky and his guest, Mr. Lockhart. Mr. Lockhart is the Devil. We know he is the Devil because he tells us so. ("I'm the son of the morning. I'm the snake in the garden."). Twenty-five years ago he helped Sharky escape a manslaughter charge, and he has now come to collect his payment: Sharky's soul. Sharky can avoid damnation only by beating Mr. Lockhart in a poker game.

If you thought that Ingmar Bergman's conceit of a man playing chess with Death was self-conscious, portentous and middlebrow (and you were right), you may not be much more receptive to a man playing poker with Satan. This marriage of Faust and Friel doesn't work, not least because the author is more interested in the crapulous antics of Richard, Nicky and Ivan than in the state of Sharky's soul. Sharky's character and history are so sketchy that one wonders why the Devil should covet such a nebulous figure, or why we in the audience should care about his fate. As for the supposedly hilarious drunkards, they become tiresome after three minutes.