David Ives

Ives' "Sure Thing" stands out in my memory as one of my favorite one-act performances of all time even though it was probably one of the first one-acts I ever saw performed--and, while much of that outstanding performance should be attributed to the fantastic timing and acting involved that day, much of the credit also goes to Ives' outstanding writing. That one-act, though, is only one of the fourteen plays collected here, and all of them are masterful examples of Ives' clever and funny show more writing.

Many of these pieces, like "Sure Thing", will only be at their best with perfect timing and the laughter of a live audience, but the smart writing and small casts make these more translatable to a reading experience than one might expect. Each one is unique, fun, and resounding with Ives' signature humor and word and timing play. The one long play included here, Ancient History, is also a perfect blend of drama and humor, with just enough crossed lines.

All together, Ives is a dramatic wonder, and this collection is utterly wonderful. Highly recommended. show less

This is a quick-witted, funny play that I’d love to see staged. In 1708 Paris a miserly wealthy man, Geronte, appears close to death. His nephew, Eraste, is angling for his share of the inheritance so he can marry Isabelle, whose mother will only agree to a wedding if Eraste is the sole heir. But Geronte is not cooperating. He’s not dying and not willing to make a will.

It’s a good natured and humorous situation, made so by David Ives’ stellar writing and the rhyming couplets he’s show more employed to tell the story. show less

I read this play largely because it's friend and past director's favorite and I need some strong female roles to use for monologues. I loved this play. It's fascinating, kind of kinky, and mind-blowing. I was enthralled from the first page and just got more and more involved. It's one act, though it's still pretty long, and two actors are onstage the entire time. It's really quite fascinating. I wouldn't recommend it for pleasure reading unless you know you like to read plays. To be fair, I show more did purchase the acting edition, so there might be more fluff to make it more palatable to a layperson. I'm very happy with this play and I can't wait for a chance to pick it up again. show less

On beginning this novel, I thought "well, this could be really offensive." It came off as a young teen version of the movie "Borat." But it turned out to be rather more substantial than that. An illegal immigrant boy from a fictional country gets caught up in the "movie" that is America and finds himself involved with a teen celebutante and caught up in the midst of a medical intrigue Light reading for when you're in the mood for goofy humor.