Customer Reviews

13 by Shanley: Thirteen Plays (Applause American Masters Series)

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I found the plays in "13 by Shanley" to be as outrageous, quirky, beautiful, and redeeming as his screenwork. Shanley has the uncanny ability to make you read him twice, because one reading doesn't quite settle with you. I found myself reading a play in this collection, all the while thinking, "that's odd. I'm not too sure I care for that one. Oh, well." Then, I'd wake up the next morning, with lines from the play nagging at me. I'd go back to it and, sure enough... "it's brilliant. How did I miss that before?"

Shanley isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, if you have any kind of appreciative bone in your body for passionately quirky romances like "Moonstruck" or moodily misunderstood fairlytales like "Joe Versus The Volcano" (my personal all-time favorite)... then I STRONGLY urge you to pick up "13 by Shanley" for 13 cultured tales of love, beauty, and self-discovery.

Shanley's a genius. He's in a class by himself.

If you've ever been involved in a relationship that gets deep, personal and reveals a you you never knew existed...Shanley's already been there and brilliantly written about it. His ability to peer into the dark, dank depths of the human psyche and then actually write something funny about it is unparalleled. I've seen many of his plays and always left with a sore stomach from laughing so hard. I wanted to read them, too, so I could take the time to savor the deeper understandings. I'm constantly lending my copy to friends to read after they come to me in the throws of personal or relationship crisis. I'm grateful for this collection and can't wait for the next one.

I once took a Shanley scene study class in NYC at Circle Rep. Patrick Shanley came into the very last class and talked to us and critiqued our scenes. A very down to earth and inspiring man. He talked to us of how he sees no seperation of dreams and real-life when he writes. His early plays contained in this collection inspire some of his better known quirky characters(Savage, Murk, Danny, Roberta, Aldo) and stories(Savage in Limbo, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Big Funk, Italian/American Reconciliation) but all his work no matter how dreamy are always real as are his characters. There's a journey for all his characters in each play and a world of magic, if you believe in it, the characters and play will come alive. For actors, Shanley has to be filled with the right stuff, not pumped up.

I took my wife to see "Savage in Limbo" in New York City -- it's playing in a tiny little venue on 78th Street -- off off off off off Broadway -- up two flights of stairs after somebody buzzes you in -- a bartender, a drunk, a skank, a greaser, and a 32-year-old virgin (you heard me) who went to elementary school together in the Bronx. How bad could it be? Not bad at all, actually -- 5 superb actors -- we enjoyed it so much I bought this collection. None of the plays herein attain the rarified heights of "Doubt", but they're all pretty darned good. Good, original drama is so rare these days -- buy the book, and if you live in New York City, take a ride down to 78th Street and see "Savage in Limbo" too. You won't be sorry.

This book is great for the acting student who is working on scene study, monologues, or whole plays. Shanley's works are so perfect because he really captures his characters and is so dead-on. My acting coach recommended it and I've used it ever since!