Mad Dog Blues and Other Plays

by Sam Shepard, Michael McClure (Introduction)

Genres: Drama, Plays

158 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Sam Shepard was an American artist who worked as an award-winning playwright, writer and actor. His many written works are known for being frank and often absurd, as well as for having an authentic sense of the style and sensibility of the gritty modern American west. He was an actor of the stage and motion pictures; a director of stage and film; author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs; and a musician.

Reviews

[Julian Munds · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you take a bunch of disparate characters. Pepper them with dialogue that is full of vague enough language to make it seem there's a point. Let them squabble on about gold or something and you are Sam Shephard, you have yourself a play. It is said by many that a writer should be allowed to write whatever comes out of their heads, but theatre should try and communicate something, even if that something is nothingness. The play doesn't communicate. I thought at first it was play that took issue with the disconnection of pop culture mythology until the end which leaves us nowhere. Again, ideas shoot off in all directions. Sam starts writing one play, never finishes it, and starts another. This is an experiment that was likely interesting in it's first mounting but it is a product of a time and place and should be left there.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

*MAD DOG BLUES*

A madcap adventure farce featuring the likes of Captain Kidd, Paul Bunyan, Jesse James, Mae West, and Marlene Dietrich as versions of themselves. Not sure what Shepard's really trying to get at here, but it's much more of a brisk read than some of his others, at least.

Not sure what the other plays in this collection are, but I'm trying to give each play its own entry on here (since they are each discreet works in their own right), so this will have to suffice for now.

[Tyler Manley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fun! So many things don’t make sense. It’s on purpose, but that’s not quite my vibe.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

State of chock
Reading what so ever written by Shepard means going through a shortened social history of America after ww II, and up till the end of 20.century. Plots are so simple and dialogues are not very much sophisticated. Maybe some of works by Shepard are not as interesting as the others, but for those whom are interested in sociology, and drama as writing-art, will enjoy reading or watching works by Shepard. Reading simple and plain plays by Shepard gives you dare to sit and write about whatsoever plot you have in your mind. Many of his plays are so easy, but honest, fluent and great as well. After watching Paris, Texas by Wenders, I believe Wenders shots matches with Shepard’s atmosphere and dialogues. ”Few American playwrights have exerted as much influence on the contemporary stage as Sam Shepard. His plays are performed on and off Broadway and in all the major regional American theatres. They are also widely performed and studied in Europe, finding both a popular and a scholarly audience" .
با وجودی که سام شپارد، موضوعاتی گاه پیش پا افتاده را با زبانی ساده و در عین حال بصورتی حیرت انگیز طرح می کند، نمی دانم چرا تا کنون به فارسی برگردانده نشده اند، یا احتمالن من ندیده ام. خواندن شپارد اگر هیچ نباشد، دست کم درس بزرگی ست برای آنها که می خواهند بنویسند، و آنها که سال هاست می نویسند اما آن چنان سنگین که انگار "وزنه برداری" می کنند! آثار سام شپارد به نمایش نامه ها و داستان های کوتاهش محدود نمی شوند. او در زمینه ی موسیقی جاز و پاپ هم کار کرده و برخی از سروده هایش برای خوانندگان صاحب نام، مشهور است. سام شپارد بازیگر سینما و تیاتر هم هست و در برخی از فیلم ها همچون "فرانسیس" یا "دیگه نیا دم در" (ویم وندرس) با همسرش "جسیکا لنگ" همبازی بوده است. سام شپارد هم چنین نقد تیاتر و سینما هم می نویسد و برخی از نقدهایش در مجلات مشهور انگلیسی زبان منتشر می شوند.

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

These plays are definitely a product of their times, which dates them a bit (as with most counter-culture literature of the 19060s), but I cannot deny Shepard's strange talent. They establish themes that he still explores today in films like Paris, Texas and Don't Come Knocking: restless souls, the American southwest, and modern western myths.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I played Jimmy Rodgers in a pretty good production of Mad Dog Blues. Loved the play, loved the part, I'd like to do it again and play another part and get a chance at some other dialogue.