Jean-Claude van Italie

A workbook intended to be used for teaching playwriting, apparently written at a time when few existed. The thin book includes numerous exercises and suggestions for readings that will enhance your skill as a playwright. In my opinion, you would be best to read the suggested reading and skip the book. It isn't horrible, it's just very simplistic and shallow. There are many better playwriting works out there, with much better exercises for the beginning playwright to stretch themselves while learning the basics. The book barely scratches the surface of each topic, sacrificing utility in the interest of brevity. A playwright using this as their main guide would find themselves woefully unprepared. In the currently glutted market, where every playwriting teacher put out a book after discovering there weren't any, there are a number of better books.… (more)