Nine Plays of the Modern Theater

by Harold Clurman (Editor/Introduction)

The Caucasian Chalk Circle - Bertolt Brecht
Waiting for Godot - Samuel Beckett
The Visit - Friedrich Durrenmatt
The Balcony - Jean Genet
The Birthday Party - Harold Pinter
Rhinoceros - Eugene Ionesco
Tango - Slawomir Mrozek
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - Tom Stoppard
American Buffalo - David Mamet

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre

905 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 1981

About the author

Harold Edgar Clurman was an American theatre director and drama critic, "one of the most influential in the United States". He was most notable as one of the three founders of New York City's Group Theatre.

Reviews

[Ayne Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to choose my top ten favorite books, this would definitely be on the list. It is a seminal collection of works by Brecht, Beckett, Durrenmatt, Genet, Pinter, Ionesco, Stoppard, Mamet, and Mrozek, illustrating the depth and breadth of post-World War II theatre. Fascinating reading.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only plays I have read out of this collection are "Waiting for Godot","The Caucasian Chalk Circle", "The Birthday Party", and "Rhinoceros". I have already reviewed "Waiting for Godot", "The Caucasian Chalk Circle", and "The Birthday Party" separately. I was trying to wait until I finished "Rhinoceros" before I reviewed it, but it's just so boring. Just as the action picks up, a long-winded disagreement that is of no real consequence comes up. The plot line sounds interesting, but the play just does not live up to expectations.

[Susan L.]

I scored The Birthday Party AND The Balcony for dirt cheap! 50 cents! Looking forward to reading the other seven plays.