Pinter and Stoppard: A Director's View

Carey Perloff's book explores the commonalities between Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, highlighting their Jewish background and passion for stagecraft. It offers insights into their work through case studies of particular plays in production, providing new ways of positioning their plays in the twenty-first century.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Shortlisted for the STR Theatre Book Prize 2023, A LA Times Best Theater Book of 2022, Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, widely regarded as the foremost British playwrights of our era, may appear to inhabit vastly divergent aesthetic, cultural, and political realms. However, as Carey Perloff's captivating new book unveils, the two share numerous commonalities. By juxtaposing these contemporaries alongside each other and within the rehearsal room context, we can uncover fresh insights and connections, including the profound influence of their Jewish heritage on their work and their unwavering passion for the intricacies of stagecraft. Readers of Pinter and Stoppard: A Directors View will emerge with a comprehensive set of tools for approaching their work in a performance setting and for unraveling the enigmatic nuances of the plays for audiences. Esteemed theatre director Carey Perloff draws upon her firsthand experience of collaborating with both writers, crafting case studies of specific plays in production to offer innovative perspectives on positioning their work in the contemporary landscape.

Thirty years after significant criticism on both playwrights first emerged, this presents a timely opportunity for a fresh examination of Pinter and Stoppard's unique contributions to the twenty-first century.

Weight: 376g
Dimension: 157 x 234 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350243392