Václav Havel –dissident, activist, essayist, philosopher, politician, founder and president of the Czech Replublic—is known throughout the world as a hero of the human rights movement and martyr for the "right to write" (he was imprisoned many times under Communism in his country). But few in the West know that he is also his country’s most famous playwright. This book tells the dramatic story of his life in the theater during three dark decades under Communism and the extreme risks that he and many other took to perform his works. Havel’s ten full-length plays and eight one-acts are also discussed – plays that not only tell the story of his country but also helped to change it, plays that have a significant place in twentieth-century world drama. For those who love the theater, his story is a powerful and moving one about what it means to be a playwright, a story wherein writing for the theater is an act of courage.
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Book Description
A unique interweaving of the influences of politics and theater revealed in a spellbinding narrative of the life of Václav Havel during Czechoslovakia’s struggle for freedom.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"..an essential book for anybody interested not only in Havel’s life and personal journey but also in making clear..." -- Edward Albee
"A book worth reading, about a man worth listening to." -- Milos Forman
"Havel’s voice has moved the world’s political characters to listen to its human appeal for compassion and peace." -- Elie Wiesel
..addresses his work in theater in detail, along with his relationships with other writers, and his legacy as a playwright. -- Book News, May 2005
..the plays tell not only the story of Havel’s country, but also how his work shaped and changed it. -- Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin, Fall 2005
Adopting a fragmented, chronological arrangement, Rocamora divides her discussion of Havel's life into five decades paralleling Czechoslovakia's history. -- Choice Magazine, July 2005
This first major English-language study on Havel as a playwright is highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries. -- Library Journal, May 2005
"A book worth reading, about a man worth listening to." -- Milos Forman
"Havel’s voice has moved the world’s political characters to listen to its human appeal for compassion and peace." -- Elie Wiesel
..addresses his work in theater in detail, along with his relationships with other writers, and his legacy as a playwright. -- Book News, May 2005
..the plays tell not only the story of Havel’s country, but also how his work shaped and changed it. -- Bryn Mawr Alumnae Bulletin, Fall 2005
Adopting a fragmented, chronological arrangement, Rocamora divides her discussion of Havel's life into five decades paralleling Czechoslovakia's history. -- Choice Magazine, July 2005
This first major English-language study on Havel as a playwright is highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries. -- Library Journal, May 2005
From the Inside Flap
Vaclav Havel – dissident, human rights activist, essayist, philosopher, politician, founder, and president of the Czech Republic – is known throughout the world as a hero of the human rights movement and martyr for the "right to write" (he was imprisoned many times under communism in his country). But few of us in the West know that he is also his country’s most famous dramatist. In fact, his presidency has eclipsed his playwriting. This book tells the dramatic story of his life in the theater during three dark decades under communism, and the extreme risks that he and many others took to put on his plays. The book also discusses his ten full-length plays and eight one-acts – plays that not only tell the story of his country but also helped to change it. For those of us who work in the theater, his story is a powerful and moving one about what it means to be a playwright, a story wherein writing for the theater is an act of courage.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Havel Gets His Eric Bentley,
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This review is from: Acts of Courage: Vaclav Havel's Life in the Theater (Hardcover)
This is exactly the kind of book that Havel (as playwright) has long merited in the English-speaking world. True, most theatre academics will be disappointed by Rocamora's choice not to theorize Havel's plays too much. (Although she teaches at NYU, there is no trace of "performance studies" in her approach.) On the contrary, what we have here is a study in an older key. It is a book of appreciation that patiently contextualizes Havel's work within three frameworks: the aesthetic issues surrounding modern drama, Czech political history and Havel's biographical journey. The research here is excellent, and her writing is a pleasure. Havelphiles in general will want to read this book. But theatre artists with an itch to work on Havel should consider this study to be obligatory reading.
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