Playwrights at Work: Interviews with Albee, Beckett, Guare, Hellman, Ionesco, Mamet, Miller, Pinter, Shepard, Simon, Stoppard, Wasserstein, Wilder, Williams, Wilson (Modern Library (Paperback))

This book was required for a class. Putting that aside, whether you're interested in play writing or reading and viewing plays for personal enjoyment, this book illuminates the lives of some of the top contemporary playwrights of my (our) time. Normally I never make notes in books, but made an exception by highlighting portions of special interest. The structure of "interviewer and response" was vastly more intimate than if it had been a narrative. A personal note only meaningful to me: Harold Pinter and I share the same birth date! I never knew that before.

This is an excellent in depth study of the dead and still livingPlaywrights, Great I think for a student and lover ofthe theatre and playwrights working on plays.Whatgoes on in the head of a playwright when they aretaking a play from their unconscious to the pageand later the stage.

Fifteen of the greatest playwrights of the past century hold court in provocative interviews conducted by "The Paris Review" over a 41-year period. Topics range from childhood experience, politics, the writing process, distinctions between playwriting and other writing genres, love relationships, working with directors and actors, publishing, film, theater, television, and attitudes toward their own work as well as the work of other writers. These authors are not only gifted playwrights; they are also master teachers of the human condition and the writing craft. If this list of interviewees does not convince you, nothing will: Thorton Wilder, Lillian Hellman, Samuel Beckett, Tennessee Williams, Eugene Ionesco, Arthur Miller, Neil Simon, Edward Albee, Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, John Guare, Sam Shepard, August Wilson, David Mamet, and Wendy Wasserstein. This is a great book.

I bought this series of interviews in hopes of discovering more about these playwrights' points of view on writing. I was pleasantly startled to find that their stories were inspiring, as well. As a young playwright, I find the business of theatre rather disheartening. Egos are batted around much like cricket birdies, while fad and fashion dictate what is theatrically acceptable. These playwrights coped with the same obstacles, with great success. I found it interesting that each playwright had his/her own particular challenges to confront, and that one theme, throughout all the interviews, was constant: writing a play is akin to facing one's own soul, and a playwright has to confront the mirror dead-on and keep going.A wonderful read.

I had to read this book for my Playwriting class, and it helped me when I later went on to read each playwright's work. I think that it gives an excellent inside look at these playwrights' lives. It was not the most entertaining, and some interviews seemed to drag on, but for the most part, it gave a very detailed, in-depth look at these playwrights and their work.

One of the best books on theatre I have ever read. George Plimpton has compiled the difinitive interviews with some of the centuries most intriuging playwrights including Edward Ablee, Harold Pinter, Sam Shepard and Tennesee Williams. The questions are indepth and utterly facinating. We hear from the playwrights themselves on process, craft and thier candid opinons on the state of modern theatre. Undoubtedly the most comprehensive guide ever written into the mind of the dramatist and a must-read for anyone who has an interest in theatrical studies. Other playwrights interviewed are David Mamet, Arthur Miller, Tom Stoppard, John Guare, August Wilson, Niel Simon and retrospective into the work of Samuel Beckett.

It feels like these playwrights opened up to the interviewer in a big way.

This book is excellent for teachers of theatre, or really for anyone who is interested in the inner workings of a playwright. Its only down-fall is that the playwrights themselves were sometimes less than forth-coming with answers we all want to know: HOW DOES THE PLAY GET ON THE PAGE??? However, it is very interesting in that we get into the heads of some very famous playwrights and shows us a personal side. I could barely put it down because I've read and taught these playwrights for years, but now have personal insight into their work and lives.

A deeply inspiring and revealing book. Have purchased this as a gift for several friends.