I was a total theatre geek in high school. I did every show in school, and saw many plays and musicals as well. I even met my future husband in a show in college. I continue to attend many shows now. And yet, reading this book made me realize how much I need to learn. This was a wonderful introduction to some of the most celebrated playwrights of our time. Reading about their approach to writing was exhilarating and made me want to learn more about each playwright and their work.


What I Liked:

No assumptions:

I appreciated that the author did not take for granted that the reader would know each playwright. He took the time to give a proper introduction to each person and to list a few of their works. I never felt stupid for not immediately recognizing each name. After reviewing the plays, I found I did know some of their work (or had at least heard of them).


Interview Style:

After each introduction, the author does a very conversational type of interview with each playwright. They discuss their creative processes, education, and how American theatre differs from British theatre. This made the book very accessible to read and get very involved in what each playwright had to say.


Representation:

There was a good diversity of playwrights presented in this book. Most of the older writers were white men, but before the 1960's plays by women, LGBTQ, and people of color were seldom produced. That has changed and we get to hear from a good mix of writers in the second half of this book. There is also a mix of playwrights who write different types of plays and musicals, and between self-taught and MFA graduates.


What I Was Mixed About:

Limited Audience:

I think this is an excellent book for people who love theatre or for students. But I wonder if it would appeal to those who only go to the theater occasionally. I think the audience for this book is a bit limited to those who already have an interest in the subject. This book is not designed as a theatre appreciation book. It is narrowed in scope to look at the writing process. I think if you are interested in how one writes a play, you will find it fascinating.

Many thanks for this ebook. As I said to the publisher unfortunately I haven't downloaded it because of the departure of my dad last Nov 2. I interrupted my reviews and reading for some time.

What Playwrights Talk About When They Talk About Writing is a thoroughly compelling collection of interviews by Jeffrey Sweet with nearly 20 British and American playwrights, including Lanford Wilson, A.R. Gurney, Christopher Durang, Jane Anderson, Kwame Kwei-Armah, and Nina Raine. Interesting as insight into these particular dramatists’ methods, ideas, and inspirations; useful as a compendium of writing advice (intended as such or not); thought-provoking in its examination of how things like nation, race, class, and the like inform subjects and themes; and just downright entertaining in listening to those good with language speak about using language, the collection is pretty much a no-brainer when it comes to recommending it. The question isn’t why you should want this on your shelf but why wouldn’t you?

Sweet has gathered together a diverse group of interviewees, who run a wide range when it comes to age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, voice, and style. As such, they offer a wide range of opinions on topics such as differences between British and American theater/playwriting, writing programs (from the perspective of student, teacher, or both), the writing process, writing to be produced versus writing for oneself. Hare, for instance, says he is “intolerant” of the idea that “playwrights are constricted by the theater that exists . . . this sort of constant self-description of ‘Oh, we can’t write plays with big casts because they won’t be put on.’ If they’re good enough, they will be put on and they will change the structures of theater.” Others are more sympathetic toward the concerns of playwrights who worry about getting large-cast plays produced. When Sweet, for instance, note to Jules Feiffer that “American playwrights think we can’t do more than ten people or we’ll never get it on,” Feiffer responds, “Ten people is a mob —Jesus Christ — four or five at the tops.”

One gets the same diversity of opinion on whether or not, beyond the freedom to work with large casts, British and American playwrights differ in major thematic ways, with many coming down on the idea that “much American theater involves dysfunctional families and relationships unraveling at or near home [while] English plays . . . go for the big political picture.”

Many of the questions posed are the same, but the conversations as one would expect veer off in uniquely individual directions, allowing each interview to feel fresh and unique, with varying degrees of intimacy. Marsha Norman, for instance, talks at length about growing up in a “fanatical evangelistic household . . . a constant world of terror for me” and then connects her childhood to her belief that “what the theater can do best is make people feel not so alone. That to me is the great gift that the theater can give to an audience.”

It’s a fascinating look inside the heads and process of some of our most gifted playwrights and that alone is worth the price of admission. For those budding playwrights hoping to pick up some craft tips, though, while not as focused as that (it’s no Playwriting for Dummies), the authors do offer up some advice, either from their experience as playwrights, as directors, or as teachers. Norman, for example, declares that “If I can’t tell who the characters are — who’s speaking — without looking at the names, we’re dead . . . You don’t have to read past page 2 because characters who are indistinguishable from each other is not a problem that’s going to get better.” Nina Raine tells Sweet that it’s all about “What do the characters want and why isn’t one of them leaving the room at his moment . . . And if two people want the same thin, the scene’s a bit dead.” She also warns that “It’s hard if you’ve got a long speech. It’s got to be a really good speech if it’s going to be able to fly, otherwise why aren’t you writing dialogue?”

Thoughtful, provocative, conversational, insightful, entertaining, critical: the only problem with What Playwrights Talk About When They Talk About Writing is that it ends too soon. Sweet himself acknowledges in his introduction that there were playwrights he wishes had been included, some who are no longer with us (August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry among them) and some who didn’t want to talk (David Mamet, Caryl Churchill, and others). But there are lots of playwrights out there still, and one can’t help but wish at the end of this collection that Sweet, who did this book on the tenth anniversary of the Yale Drama Series, considers making this a regular series. I, for one, don’t want to wait for the 20th anniversary. Highly recommended.