Customer Reviews

How Not to Write a Play

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This book was originally written in the mid-50s as an attack on the, even then, stale conventions of realism and the well-made play. It remains an indispensible guide for the playwright who is searching to create their own style, especially if that style has nothing to do with sofas and kitchen sinks. Kerr, the renowned NY Times Theater critic, uses this book to beg, implore, and prod playwrights into accepting, exploring and exulting in all that is theatrical and dramatic. If your idea of great theater involves the unities of time and place, and a penchant for realistic sets, then please do yourself and theater lovers the courtesy of purchasing SCREENPLAY by Syd Field. On the other hand, if you strive to create great theater, then HOW NOT TO WRITE A PLAY is for you.

I love the book but hate the font and layout.
I had a previous edition which got lost, but for all that this is a must read for students of theatre and people who are intersted in the construction of plays.

Walter Kerr looks at some of the most popular plays of our time and proceeds to then do what theatre critics do best.

He delves into structure, text, plot and the whole idea of realism in theatre. Walter Kerr urges writers to get off their high horses, stop trying to write social change and just go back to the basics of telling a really good story.

Are we listening yet??