review: ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD by Tom Stoppard

Stoppard's play is a retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet from the point of view of the tertiary characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  These characters take the main stage here and Stoppard fills in what happens to the two when they are "off-stage" in Hamlet.  This is definitely a tragicomic play, with the two leads, who seem to be buffoons in Shakespeare's original, coming off as victims of a deranged monarchy in which everybody is more unstable than the last.

The dialogue is snappy, and this play reads best after a viewing or reading of Hamlet in order to fully appreciate all the references, locations, and plot points.  Even without that reading though, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is a comedic and beautiful play that should be read by even casual fans of Shakespeare.


Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS

review: DAMNED TO FAME: THE LIFE OF SAMUEL BECKETT by James R. Knowlson

Damned to Fame is a lengthy, complete, and very readable biography of one of the great playwrights of the twentieth century.  Knowlson is an able biographer who understands that Beckett is a very dense and complicated character on top of being a prolific writer.  This biography is written in a somewhat playful style, making the material very accessible where another biographer may have made the subject impossible to grasp.

At over 800 pages, this book covers Beckett's life from birth to death, covering all the stages of his career and writing.  There are several pictures and the interviews with those who knew Beckett are invaluable to a Beckett scholar.  Anyone looking for an extensive yet accessible introduction will be hard-pressed to find a better resource.

Check out this book at the Sacramento Public Library

--GS