How to Read a Play

When I first got this book I thought it was going to be a very boring book. I was pleased to find that it was actually very enjoyable. It definitely helped me understand how to read all of the plays that I was required to read for my present class. I have never read a play until taking this class, and without having read this book prior I would not have understood half of what I was reading. It helps you understand the need for pauses within the reading and the play itself. The book provides more insight on stage direction, the impact of a sound effects and the impact of silence. You see how the writer uses the unspoken language of body language through his writing and see how it affects the characters. Without this book I would have gotten by with reading the plays, but this book gave me a better understanding of all the different effects of a play and how all of those effects tie into each other. I usually trade-in all of my books after my class is completed and say good riddance. I believe I will keep this book in order to use it as a reference for future classes or for when I retire and have time to sit, relax, and enjoy some light reading. I think I have given you a good description of the book and its purpose.

The appealing attribute of this book is that it has taught me to understand how to read a play in terms that I can understand. Unbeknownst to me there is an enormous difference between reading a play and watching a play. After reading the book, I have begun to learn and understand how to use my imagination when reading a screenplay or a play. My imagination has been utterly desensitized by television and movies. There are so many factors in reading a play that I didn't even realize there are. The book is helping me to visualize the action and characters in my mind. This book specifically teaches the importance of space, sound, costumes, characters, and so much more. There are a multitude of segments from well known plays used as references for each specific chapter and lesson to be learned. As a novice, the book itself is easy to read and easy to understand. You don't have to be a theatrical student to understand the book and the principles being taught. I would encourage you to purchase How to Read a Play if you are in necessity of this skill. I trust you will benefit from the breakdown of methods used to write, read and present a play.

Basic stuff ... but for beginning students of drama, not bad.

Good book

I was for some reason sent a totally different how to book than the one I ordered. I am not sure where the actual book went. Very unsatisfied.

I despised this book. It's so dry you can barely read a paragraph without needing an adderall to keep focus.

This is my first time reading plays. I have been fortunate to have seen some live plays, but never read them. I am taking a college course which asked me to read some plays. At first, I found reading the plays a little tough. I was having a hard time trying to visualize what the author was trying to convey. Following the dialogue of some characters was an aspect that I never had experience before with the books I have read in the past. I was also having a hard time understanding the emotions from the characters. In class, we watched the movies of the plays we were reading, and I found myself realizing that I was looking at some characters differently than what the author was trying to say. " How to read a play " really help me understand the plays better. It allowed me to see what the author was trying to say and help me visualized the characters and the message. I believe in the Autonomy of Art: Once the artist stops painting/writing, then the art is no longer theirs. " How to read a play " allowed me to still understand the message of the story, while still be able to apply the message to a current event or a life experience. I recommend this book to anybody looking to get better at reading plays. Even if you consider yourself an expert, you will be able to gain more knowledge and enjoy reading future plays better.

This book really changed my views on how to read/watch plays. I read several books on plays and watch the films afterwards and it has made me realize that some of the plays that I have read were somewhat different from what I've seen on film. Visualizing what the characters and scenery might look like when reading the plays, sometimes portray a total different aspect when actually watching the films. In most of the plays that I have read, they seem to have more meaning and understanding than the films that I have watched. At times I try to understand why that is, but I believe it might be that when you're reading a play, you're more focused on the way the words are portrayed and you have your own visualization of the characters.The book was very helpful in making me understand the different ways you can read a play, the differences between a play script and a screenplay. When reading plays, I often use my imagination to depict the characters and backgrounds and this book has made me realize that using your imagination can be very helpful in understanding not just the effect of the play, but also the sounds and silences. It also helps you to visualize the dramatic images of what goes on inside of a play. This book is a great read for those that are pursuing a career in theater, plays or similar fields.