Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

36984

Title

Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This anthology presents fifty contemporary one-act plays selected by Frank Shay and Pierre Loving, featuring works by renowned authors such as Eugene O'Neill, Anton Chekhov, and Arthur Schnitzler. The collection highlights the resurgence of American drama and introduces foreign playwrights to English-speaking audiences, offering a diverse range of themes from domestic tragedy to social satire.

Summary up to 500 words

Edited by Frank Shay and Pierre Loving, *Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays* stands as a pioneering anthology that defies traditional categorization, inviting readers into a theatrical menage of experimental directors and critics. Published in 1920, the volume assembles fifty one-act pieces that reflect a theatrical renascence, predominantly featuring American authors alongside foreign writers like Hugo von Hofmannsthal and August Strindberg who were previously inaccessible to English-speaking audiences. The editors acknowledge the arduous task of selecting from over a thousand examined pieces, noting that many were unavailable due to copyright restrictions or the loss of control by authors. Despite these challenges, the collection champions a younger generation of dramatists working in small theaters and dramatic juntos, offering a concise scaffold suitable for their evolving needs. The anthology serves as a pioneer exploration, championing themes that span the human condition, social critique, and artistic integrity. The viewpoint presented may outrage some readers but offers a unique touchstone for understanding the evolving drama of the early 20th century. The editors envision a playhouse perfectly equipped and plastic, managed by experimental directors and filled with gallery-haunters, unleashing a spirit of innovation. This approach embraces individual bias as a leading force, creating a theatrical menage where plays were written to suit a specific, albeit shadowily defined, viewpoint. The collection includes a diverse range of international voices, such as Maurice Maeterlinck from Belgium, Federico More from Bolivia, and Georges de Porto-Riche from France. It also features significant contributions from Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Yiddish-speaking authors. The American section highlights the growth of a new generation of dramatists achieving notable work outside the beaten path of popular recognition. Notable American entries include Eugene O'Neill's *Ile*, Susan Glaspell's *Trifles*, and works by Hildegarde Flanner and Edna St. Vincent Millay. The volume is not merely a compilation but a deliberate curation that seeks to broaden the audience for these efforts. By including foreign plays heretofore not accessible to English readers, the editors undertake an effort of pioneer exploration. The result is a collection that, while perhaps hair-brained or frivolous in its conception, expresses a distinct approach to drama. It captures the essence of a time when the theater was undergoing significant transformation, balancing the old strength of the past with the untried things of the present. Ultimately, the book stands as a testament to the vitality of contemporary drama, preserving works that might otherwise have been lost to the imperious tradition of book-making.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Drama
• Collections