Theory and Technique of Playwriting,

Theory and Technique of Playwriting,

The Changing Years THIS study of dramatic theory and technique was first published in 1936, in the midst of the social and theatrical upheaval that Harold Clurman calls The Fervent Years. Today, the arts display less fervor, and far less interest in social significance. The transition in dramatic thought from Waiting for Lefty to Waiting for Godot is almost as sweeping as the changes that have taken place among the worlds peoples and powers. There are those who regard the culture of the thirties as dead and best forgotten. The question need not be debated here except insofar as this book offers testimony to the contrary. My beliefs have not changed, nor has my fervor abated. I can hope that my understanding has ripened. But I see no need to modify or revise the theory of dramatic art on which this work is based. The theory holds that the dramatic process follows certain general laws, derived from the function of drama and its historical evolution. A play is a mimed fable, an acted and spoken story. The tale is presented because it has meaning to its creator. It embodies a vision, poses an ethical or emotional problem, praises heroes or laughs at fools. The playwright may not be conscious of any purpose beyond the telling of a tale. He may be more interested in box-office receipts than in social values. Nonetheless, the events taking place on the stage embody a point of view, a judgment of human relationships. Conceptual understanding is the key to mastery of dramatic technique. The structure of a play, the design of each scene and the movement of the action to its climax, are the means by which the concept is communicated. The theatre is a difficult art form. No labor of thought can give talent to the untalented or sensitivity to the insensitive. The pattern of a play is as subtle and chromatic as the pattern of a symphony. Theatrical concepts are profoundly
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
Country USA
Manufacturer Hill & Wang Pub
Binding Paperback
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780809005253
ReleaseDate 0000-00-00

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Hill & Wang Pub
Binding	Paperback
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780809005253
ReleaseDate	0000-00-00

Theory and Technique of Playwriting,

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