Three Plays of the Absurd (Paperback)

~ Walter Wykes (Author)
Key Phrases: lemonade machine, fake moustache, prompt book, The Profession, Las Vegas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this collection of plays, Walter Wykes creates a series of modern myths, tapping into something in the strata of the subconscious, through ritualism and rich, poetic language. The worlds he creates are brand new and hilarious, yet each contains an ancient horror we all know and cannot escape and have never been able to hang one definitive word on.

The Profession follows the experiences of a naïve young man exposed to the inner workings of a secret society of assassins. In Fading Joy a young woman finds herself caught up in the intoxicating world of a smooth-talking salesman. When he flees to escape a mysterious group known only as "The Tall Men," she finds it impossible to go back to her old way of life. Not only has she changed in some inexplicable way, but the landscape itself has taken on a strange and menacing new personality. Finally, The Father Clock tells the apocalyptic tale of two actors and a stage manager abandoned by their aging director. As the auditorium begins to fill and the lights dim, they desperately attempt to pull the show together even as a strange and disturbing illness drifts through the theatre.

Three Plays of the Absurd is reminiscent of the plays of Ionesco, Beckett, and Pinter. It is a must-read for anyone interested in absurdist or postmodern drama.

About the Author

Walter Wykes is a graduate of the MFA Playwriting program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has had over thirty plays produced across the United States and internationally. Four times he has received the American College Theatre Festival's Award for Excellence in Playwriting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Lulu.com (September 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847284051
• ISBN-13: 978-1847284051
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #250,006 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you enjoy Theatre of the Absurd, you'll love these plays, January 17, 2007

By	Joseph Zeccola (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These are some of the most original plays I've read in a long time. Hilarious and touching--with characters and situations that are rich and diverse. In the tradition of Beckett, Pinter and Ionesco, Walter Wykes proves that Theatre of the Absurd is alive and well--and as important as ever.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Dated, July 25, 2007

By	Fando (Nowhere) - See all my reviews

These plays are not only very dated, but also clumsily written. You'll find none of the verbal dexterity of Ionesco or Beckett here, but instead lumpen ramblings that are dramatically unconvincing. I can't imagine anyone staging these plays, let alone going to see them.