Secondhand Modern Drama & Play Bargain Book Box (24 Books) SP2664

Secondhand Modern Drama & Play Bargain Book Box (24 Books)

This collection of twenty-four plays provides a rigorous survey of 19th and 20th-century theatre, encompassing foundational works of modern realism, the Theatre of the Absurd, and contemporary Australian drama. The assembly includes significant contributions from Nobel laureates such as Harold Pinter and Henrik Ibsen alongside acclaimed local voices like Andrew Bovell and Ron Blair. These scripts document a diverse range of theatrical styles and themes, including institutional power, the collapse of communication, and the shifting loyalties of interpersonal relationships. It is a substantive library for the student of drama or the professional practitioner, providing a factual record of the evolution of the modern stage as seen in IMG_0601.jpg.

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1. The Trial / Metamorphosis — Steven Berkoff / Franz Kafka Two theatre adaptations by Steven Berkoff. The scripts document his signature physical theatre approach to Kafka’s seminal works on bureaucracy and individual alienation.

2. The Hothouse — Harold Pinter A black comedy set in a state institution, exploring the banality of evil and institutional power through Pinter's characteristic subtext and dialogue.

3. Woman in Mind — Alan Ayckbourn A psychological study of a woman's mental disintegration as her fantasy life begins to overlap with the repression of her suburban domestic reality.

4. Kiss of the Spider Woman — Manuel Puig (adapted by Allan Baker) Set in an Argentine prison, the narrative documents the developing relationship between a political prisoner and a cellmate who uses film fantasies as a survival mechanism.

5. Danton's Death — Georg Büchner A historical drama set during the French Revolution, documenting the ideological and physical conflict between Danton and Robespierre.

6. Another Time — Ronald Harwood A multi-generational narrative following a piano prodigy in South Africa and London, examining the personal costs of artistic dedication.

7. Hedda Gabler — Henrik Ibsen (translated by Michael Meyer) A foundational work of modern realism documenting a woman's struggle against the social and domestic constraints of the late 19th century.

8. A Resounding Tinkle — N.F. Simpson A key text of the Theatre of the Absurd, providing a factual record of the suburban domesticity of a couple who manage various absurd disruptions to their routine.

9. Melon — Simon Gray A psychological study of a successful publisher undergoing a mental breakdown following the revelation of personal and professional betrayals.

10. Good — C. P. Taylor A rigorous examination of the incremental moral erosion of a German academic during the rise of the Third Reich.

11. One For The Road — Harold Pinter A short, unsparing play documenting an interrogation by a state official, focusing on the exercise of absolute power and systemic violence.

12. Blithe Spirit — Noël Coward A classic drawing-room comedy documenting a séance that inadvertently summons the ghost of a novelist's first wife.

13. Closer — Patrick Marber A contemporary drama documenting the shifting loyalties, emotional betrayals, and sexual politics of four individuals in modern London.

14. Mouth To Mouth — Kevin Elyot A study of repressed desire and the impact of the past on a group of friends, written with Elyot's signature focus on emotional subtext.

15. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — Edward Albee A foundational modern American drama documenting a high-velocity, alcohol-fueled confrontation between two academic couples.

16. The Bald Prima Donna — Eugene Ionesco An anti-play that uses the banality of language to explore the collapse of human communication within a structured suburban environment.

17. Japes — Simon Gray A narrative spanning several decades, documenting the complex relationship between two brothers and the woman they both love.

18. After Dinner — Andrew Bovell A sharp observational comedy set in an Australian pub, documenting the social anxieties and individual isolation of three women on a night out.

19. The Collector — David Parker An adaptation of John Fowles' novel, documenting the psychological tension and power dynamics between a kidnapper and his captive.

20. The End of the Affair — Graham Greene (adapted by Rupert Goold and Caroline Butler) A theatrical adaptation exploring the intersections of love, faith, and betrayal in wartime London.

21. Benefactors — Michael Frayn A study of two couples and their differing approaches to social change and architectural planning during the 1960s.

22. A Map of the World — David Hare A play within a play set at a UNESCO conference, documenting the ideological conflict between the West and the developing world.

23. President Wilson In Paris — Ron Blair A work by the prominent Australian playwright documenting the historical and personal friction during the 1919 Peace Conference.

24. Art — Yasmina Reza (translated by Christopher Hampton) A contemporary comedy investigating how the purchase of a modern painting challenges the foundations of a long-term friendship.