The Crafty Art of Playmaking - Softcover

."..a practical and disciplined look...After 44 years at his profession, Ayckbourn knows what he's talking about."--Lloyd Rose, Washington Post Book World."..amusing, thought-provoking, and helpful in turn...his experiences are well worth the price of the book."--Susan L. Peters, Library Journal."..an entrancing read-no matter what part you play in playmaking."--Dany Margolies, Back Stage."..a polished gem of theater lore..."--Publishers Weekly Annex"The New York Times on Alan Ayckbourn's recent House and Garden: As ingeniously constructed a work as the contemporary theater has to offer... House and Garden does justice not only to Mr. Ayckbourn's miraculous engineering but to his lightly astringent, not quite farcical humor as well. "-- The New York Times

With over sixty plays written and premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough before going on to play in the West End or the Royal National Theatre, London, or Broadway, Alan Ayckbourn's expertise in writing and directing plays is unsurpassed. For the first time, here in The Crafty Art of Playmaking, he shares all his tricks of the trade. From helpful hints on writing (Where do you start? How do you continue? What is comedy and how do you write it? What is tragedy and how does it work?), to tips on directing (working with actors and technicians, when to listen to the other experts, how to cope with rehearsals), the book provides a complete primer for the tyro and a refresher for the more experienced. Written in an accessible and highly entertaining style, with anecdotes galore to illustrate the how, when, where and why, it's worth the cover price for the jokes alone. 'A marvellously useful and enjoyably good-humoured book' Daily Telegraph