A New Way to Pay Old Debts (New Mermaids) [Paperback]

Philip Massinger (Author), T. W. Craik (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393900096 | ISBN-13: 978-0393900095 | Publication Date: August 1984 | Edition: Edition Unstated

New Mermaids are modernized and fully-annotated editions of classic English plays. Each volume includes:

• The playtext, in modern spelling, edited to the highest bibliographical and textual standards
• Textual notes recording significant changes to the copytext and variant readings
• Glossing notes explaining obscure words and word-play
• Critical, contextual and staging notes
• Photographs of productions where applicable
• A full introduction which provides a critical account of the play, the staging conventions of the time and recent stage history; discusses authorship, date, sources and the text; and gives guidance for further reading.

Edited and updated by leading scholars and printed in a clear, easy-to-use format, New Mermaids offer invaluable guidance for actor, student, and theatre-goer alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Edition Unstated edition (August 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393900096
• ISBN-13: 978-0393900095
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,924,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Typical Renaissance Comedy, August 4, 2001

By 

AvalonSilver - See all my reviews

This review is from: A New Way to Pay Old Debts (New Mermaids) (Paperback)

"A New Way to Pay Old Debts" is a typical Renaissance comedy. The young hero, tellingly named Welborne, has lost his fortune thanks in part to an evil old uncle. Machinations, engagements, and quarrels follow. This is supposedly Massinger's masterpiece, but it has never been a special favorite of mine. I think that Ben Jonson and others pull off similar stories in a more amusing way.

I am a fan of the New Mermaid series. I like the commentary and introductions provided. However, the language is more modernized than it is in most editions os such literature, and if you insist on reading the original spelling, another edition is better for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny stuff, September 17, 2003

By 

J. Ott "John Ott" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A New Way to Pay Old Debts (New Mermaids) (Paperback)

This is more in a Jonsonian vein than Shakespearean. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Jacobian theater and culture. Because the characters are stock figures, the whole machinery of the debt and marriage systems is made transparent, provided you can see through the jokes. And speaking of jokes, I laughed out loud several times and enjoyed the parodies of some of Shakespeare's famous speeches. Sir Giles Overreach is a great villain and the naifish hero Welborne really does find a clever 'new way to pay old debts.' The introduction calls this a proto-typical debt comedy. Not having read every debt comedy, I'm willing to take Craik's word.

New Mermaids does good work in terms of modernizing spelling and providing notes for those of us who aren't PhD's. People wanting an original-spelling text should go to their university's library or take a valium. Craik's introduction is brief but effective. It should be read after the play, since the play is easy enough to follow on first read with only a few recourses to the Cast List. Enjoy!