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Stop the Show! A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater
 
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Stop the Show! A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater (Paperback)

by Brad Schreiber (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Customers buy this book with Broadway Nights: A Romp of Life, Love, and Musical Theatre by Seth Rudetsky

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
...[Schreiber], a theatre professional and columnist for the LA [weekly] Entertainment Today, has a fun idea that doesn't quite hit its mark. A collection of theater anecdotes meant to be both bizarre and funny, the execution suffers from an overload of voices and inside jokes. At over 250 pages, the short tales-most less than a page each-tend to blend together. And while the better anecdotes feature stars such as Katherine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier, [Schreiber] has relied on far too many stories from and about virtual unknowns [...] whose gossipy stories may play well at parties but fall flat on the page. [Schreiber]'s biggest misstep, however, is his own faltering humor; too often, he uses glib irony to pad out or wrap up tales: after an actor forgets all her lines, another goes to the hospital at intermission, and another falls down a flight of steps on-stage, [Schreiber] quips, "But other than that, opening night was an utter success." Though it frustrates, theater lovers will get a few chuckles from this book, and perhaps some stories to pass along over cocktails.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description
Stop the Show! is the first book to assemble humorous, frightening and bizarre anecdotes about the history of all that went wrong during live theatrical productions in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. It is the publishing equivalent of TV bloopers for the legitimate stage. This book includes stories from top directors, actors, playwrights and technicians from New York, Los Angeles, and points in between, to the United Kingdom, from the 19th century to today. There are stories about missed entrances and exits, onstage unscripted fights between performers, improvised lines, accidental pratfalls, falling scenery, and costume, lighting and makeup screwups. The backstage provides sordid tales of practical jokes, treachery, misplaced props, wild arguments, and generally the kinds of things Michael Frayn created for his farce about a theatrical disaster, Noises Off. This book doesn't leave out the theatergoers either, who snore, fight with each other, talk back to the performers, search for their seats, become suddenly ill, eat, drink, make merry, and are yelled at by the performers — all of which sometimes prompts the show to stop, even though we've always been told it must go on.


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Product Details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Da Capo Press (September 5, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1560258209
  • ISBN-13: 978-1560258209
  • Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #444,520 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Stop the Show! A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater
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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars See Eric Bogosian rave ...., September 5, 2006
By a reader (New York) - See all my reviews
The first collection of theater's greatest blunders, from the West End and Broadway to the lowliest amateur theater, Stop the Show! revels in ruined lines, dangerous scenery, rude theatergoers, performers sabotaging each other and more.

Among the outrageous and mind-boggling events during live performances:
Richard Burton, after an afternoon of drinking with his brothers, accidentally urinates through his tights while swordfighting Michael Redgrave at Stratford-upon-Avon.
The Second City Toronto member who took LSD for the first time feels its effects hours later...in the middle of a comedy sketch, posing as a taxi cab driver.
A homeless woman climbs onstage during a production of Cats on Broadway, rubs up against stunned, costumed performers and begins singing off-key.
In London's intimate Bush Theatre, an actor finds himself onstage with a petrified burglar who sneaked inside the building to rob it, not knowing it was a theatre.
An April Fool's Day announcement in a Broadway theatre, claiming that Glenn Close, Richard Dreyfus and Gene Hackman all have understudies going on for them creates a mass exodus from the theatre before the audience can learn it's a joke.
"Mr. Schreiber's book of anecdotes should be deposited in every dressing room both on and off Broadway." -Eric Bogosian
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for theater buffs and anyone who likes to laugh, September 14, 2006
By James Robert Parish (Studio City, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
A flavorful potpourri of anecdotes about real-life stage bloopers.

It's a smooth and delightful read that makes you wish you'd been there to witness the often hilarious situations described.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Funny!, September 12, 2006
By J. Hunsicker (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
'Stop the Show' is truly as its subtitle implies - insane and absurd and very hilarious. A friend bought it for me and I went out a bought a few for my theatrical friends. It's a great gift and a great gift for yourself.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Show Must go On!!
The paperback copy of "Stop the Show!" arrived on time and in excellent condition as the seller promised it would. It was purchased as a gift, and was an instant hit. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Laurel Jones

1.0 out of 5 stars Not funny enough
I was very much looking forward to this book, but so far I have been disapointed. Most of the stories sound like they are only truly funny to the people involved. Read more
Published 17 days ago by B. B. Gartner

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Recommended
The concept sounded great....funny stoties about productions, like film outtakes. We get the stories, but not the funny. Read more
Published 16 months ago by BillB

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read!
This book is a must for anyone who loves the theater, and is a fun read for anybody. Most of the anecdotes are quite amusing. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Dr. Goodbook

2.0 out of 5 stars Littered with inaccuracies
A disappointing number of errors appear thoughout this book. Two that immediately come to mind are: 1) Book states that Sarah Jessica Parker was in the revival of the musical... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Morosco

4.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Hillarious
Funny and at times cringe-worthy through tears of laughter. A must for theatre geeks everywhere!
Published 20 months ago by Wendy Pederson

5.0 out of 5 stars Stop the show for a good laugh!
A funny and fascinating look at just how wrong things can go onstage. A must-read for anybody with an interest in theater or acting -- or just having some yuks at the expense of... Read more
Published on January 10, 2007 by Michael Tunison

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Break a leg' takes on new meaning
"Stop the Show" is a great read not only for theatre buffs, but for anyone looking for a good laugh and a glimpse behind the curtain. Read more
Published on December 23, 2006 by Laura Ferreiro

5.0 out of 5 stars Laughed Till I Peed My Pants
Brad Schreiber's the funniest man I know. So funny, that if he'd been up on that Laugh Factory stage instead of Michael Richards, he would've KILLED using the same bit. Read more
Published on December 12, 2006 by Stephen Lemons, Phoenix New Ti...

4.0 out of 5 stars A bunch of great laughs
This is a delightful collection of theater anecdotes and real-life stage bloopers. The stories are both amusing and interesting. Read more
Published on September 18, 2006 by Allan Taylor

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