Oleanna [Paperback]

David Mamet (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0822213435 | ISBN-13: 978-0822213437 | Publication Date: January 1998

"An ear for reproducing everyday language has long been David Mamet's hallmark and he has now employed it to skewer the dogmatic, puritannical streak which has become commonplace on and off the campus. With Oleanna he continues an exploration of male-female conflicts begun with Sexual Perversity in Chicago in 1974. Oleanna cogently demonstrates that when free thought and dialogue are imperilled, nobody wins." (Michael Wise, Independent) In Oleanna "John and Carol go to it with hand-to hand combat that amounts to a primal struggle for power. As usual with Mamet, the vehicle for that combat is crackling, highly distilled dialogue unencumbered by literary frills or phony theatrical ones." (Frank Rich, International Herald Tribune)

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An ear for reproducing everyday language has long been David Mamet's hallmark and he has now employed it to skewer the dogmatic, puritannical streak which has become commonplace on and off the campus. With Oleanna he continues an exploration of male-female conflicts begun with Sexual Perversity in Chicago in 1974. Oleanna cogently demonstrates that when free thought and dialogue are imperilled, nobody wins." The Independent, Michael Wise "John and Carol go to it with hand-to hand combat that amounts to a primal struggle for power. As usual with Mamet, the vehicle for that combat is crackling, highly distilled dialogue unencumbered by literary frills or phony theatrical ones." International Herald Tribune, Frank Rich 'Can anverbal assault be construed as rape? Of given Mamet's dazzling play on the ambiguity of language, does it constitute any situation where no is taken to mean yes?' Guardian - Alfred Hickling, 20.11.10 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

David Mamet is one of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary American stage. He was born and had his first and many subsequent plays premiere in Chicago. His screenplays include: The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Verdict, The Untouchables, We're No Angels and Glengarry Glen Ross; he was writer and director for House of Games, Things Change and Homicide. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822213435
• ISBN-13: 978-0822213437
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Drama > United States
  • #39 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Drama > General
  • #72 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Drama > United States

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inflammatory and fascinating, August 16, 2001

By 

K. Schwarting "rivkah12" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oleanna: A Play (Paperback)

David Mamet's Oleanna was polarizing when it premiered on Broadway--audiences tended to sympathize with one character and hate the other.

The experience of reading Oleanna rather than seeing it is a rewarding one. The play features two characters: John, a professor up for tenure, and Carol, his student. Each of these characters is in the midst of their own problems when we meet them in the first act--John is arguing with his wife and in the midst of buying a new house (as a celebration of his impending tenure), and Carol is desperately trying not to fail John's class. When the show opens, Carol has come to John to ask him not to fail her--unfortunately, John is on and off the phone with his realtor and his wife and barely pays attention to Carol. This is the setup from which the rest of the play unravels.

Ultimately, Carol accuses John of sexual harassment--and, although it is easy to say that John never propositions Carol, the reader can see where Carol might have gotten that idea. John, in his haste to leave, says and does things that in retrospect (the second act) seem like mistakes.

Each is a full and fascinating character--John stands on the brink of losing everything that has ever mattered to him, and Carol becomes an ardent feminist activist in the third act. To say more would be a spoiler.

This play is a fascinating character study, examining academia, language, and the startling effect of bad communication. A brilliant and biting play.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars David Mamet's Masterpiece, January 13, 2003

By 

Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oleanna: A Play (Paperback)

Known most for his unique drama "Glengarry Glen Ross," David Mamet has written another masterpiece of a play. "Oleanna" is an unforgettable play that will leave you unsure of who's side you're on until the last remaining moments that will stay with you for a long time.

The story is very simple, or it starts out simple. It all starts as an innocent meeting between a school teacher and his female student. He knows there's been problems with her doing well in the class, so he offers to help. Then before you know it, everything goes to hell and shortly there are accusations of sexism, abuse of power, and sexual harassment. This is play that will mess with your head, leaving you unsure of who is in the right, if any of them are.

I was hooked from the very first page. As soon as I started, I couldn't put it down, and I had no idea of where it was heading. What's great is that it reads very quickly. It's short but accomplishes what it's trying to do. Once again Mamet has a talent of capturing human behavior and reflecting it back through his writing. He can take the simplest conflict and magnify it a hundred times. And once again he is able to catch us off guard when it counts the most.

"Oleanna" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys reading plays, or just reading in general. Like I said, it's very short so chances are that as soon as you start it you'll be able to finish it in no time. You'll be sad when it's over so quickly, but will be happy to re-read it again and again. A terrific masterpiece that is beautifully written and structured on every front, David Mamet's "Oleanna" is a breathtaking read.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Envy, Greed, and Political Correctness, April 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Oleanna: A Play (Paperback)

I have seen three separate productions of David Mamet's controversial two-hander "Oleanna", and the audience has been driven into polarized frenzy each time. Mamet correctly assumes that the engines that drive contemporary society are envy and greed, and his corrosive attack on the verbal manipulations of political correctness is razor-sharp. Mamet's use of language is extraordinary and in this play -- for a change -- the characters are educated, white-collar academics, not filthy-mouthed lowlifes. Obscenity, however, takes many forms. Do yourself a favour: when you take this book home, READ IT ALOUD with someone else. You will discover that "Oleanna" is a passionate, provocative, and powerful piece of theatre.