Secondhand Drama Bargain Book Box DSH1107

Secondhand Drama Bargain Book Box

Dive into the world of theatrical genius with this comprehensive collection of twenty-one landmark stage and radio productions, spanning genres from biting Restoration comedy to modernist classics and groundbreaking political theatre. This curated selection delivers the tense, atmospheric works of Harold Pinter and Patrick Hamilton, the poetic depth of T.S. Eliot, and the sharp wit of Aphra Behn and George Bernard Shaw, providing an instant library of essential dramatic literature perfect for study or performance. Uncover complex characters and enduring themes across centuries of performance history in this unparalleled bargain. Each book is secondhand and may show signs of wear.

1. The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter
   Pinter’s seminal "comedy of menace" centers on Stanley Webber, a resident in a dilapidated seaside boarding house whose quiet life is brutally disrupted by the arrival of two sinister, anonymous figures, Goldberg and McCann. The play explores themes of identity, paranoia, and the terror of the unknown, showcasing the playwright's signature use of pregnant pauses and ambiguous dialogue that builds suffocating psychological tension. It is a defining work of post-war English theatre, highlighting the fragility of mundane existence under threat.

2. The Homecoming by Harold Pinter
   Teddy, a philosophy professor, brings his wife Ruth back to his childhood home in North London after six years in America, introducing her to his violent and emotionally stunted family of men. This disturbing, complex drama delves into sexual power dynamics, dominance, and manipulation within a highly dysfunctional family unit, creating an atmosphere of dark, unsettling comedy. Ruth’s subtle assertion of power and subsequent integration into the household challenges traditional notions of family loyalty and morality.

3. The Philanthropist: a bourgeois comedy by Christopher Hampton
   A darkly witty and intellectual comedy focusing on Philip, a young Cambridge philology don who struggles awkwardly to communicate and connect honestly with those around him, often misinterpreting or misusing language. Against a backdrop of political violence and social upheaval, Philip’s detachment and passive demeanor lead to increasingly absurd and tragicomic interactions concerning sex, betrayal, and attempted suicide. Hampton uses his character's linguistic precision to expose a profound emotional incompetence in contemporary intellectual life.

4. Summer and Fables by Edward Bond
   This collection presents Summer, a poetic yet brutal play set in a dilapidated Mediterranean villa where an English tourist confronts the former maid who served her family decades earlier during World War II. Summer explores the lingering trauma of historical conflict and class relations, focusing on memory, guilt, and the complex ethical implications of personal responsibility. The volume also includes a selection of Bond’s thought-provoking short prose pieces and dramatic fragments (fables).

5. Quebec Voices: Three Plays edited by Robert Wallace
   An essential anthology introducing English readers to three major contemporary Quebecois dramatic voices: René-Daniel Dubois, Jean-Claude Germain, and Normand Chaurette, reflecting the distinct social and political landscapes of Quebec. These plays often explore themes of cultural identity and nationalism in innovative theatrical forms, providing a valuable perspective on modern French-language theatre outside of France. The collection highlights the unique challenges and creative energy of Quebecois playwrights.

6. The Rover (Regents Restoration Drama) by Aphra Behn
   One of the most celebrated plays of the English Restoration, written by the trailblazing female playwright Aphra Behn, centering on a group of English cavaliers exiled in Naples during the Carnival season. The plot follows the intertwined romantic and chaotic escapades of witty, independent women and the charming, reckless male adventurers, particularly the titular Wilmore. Behn masterfully uses disguise, romance, and bawdy humor to comment on female agency and sexual politics of the era.

7. The Suicide by Nikolai Erdman
   A masterpiece of early Soviet satire, this dark comedy follows Semyon Podsekalnikov, an unemployed man who, after a minor misunderstanding, is mistakenly believed to be planning suicide. Various groups—intellectuals, artists, priests, and merchants—attempt to exploit his decision for their own ideological or material gain, turning his despair into a bizarre political spectacle. The play functions as a sharp, scathing critique of bureaucratic life and hypocrisy under the early Communist regime.

8. Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti (A Comedy by Marc Camoletti and Beverley Cross)
   This classic French farce, adapted for the English stage, features Bernard, an architect living in Paris who successfully juggles three stewardess fiancées, each blissfully unaware of the others, thanks to meticulous scheduling based on their airline routes. His complicated life unravels hilariously when the introduction of new, faster Boeing jets causes all three women to arrive in his apartment simultaneously. A masterclass in door-slamming comedy, misunderstandings, and rapid-fire absurdity.

9. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Richard II edited by Paul M. Cubeta
   A critical collection dedicated to Shakespeare’s complex history play, offering various academic essays and viewpoints on its themes, structure, and political significance. The interpretations analyze the character of the weak but poetic King Richard II and his relationship with the usurper Bolingbroke, exploring themes of divine right versus practical political power. This volume is essential reading for students and enthusiasts seeking deeper understanding of this influential tragic drama.

10. The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen
    A profound psychological drama revolving around Ellida Wangel, the wife of a country doctor, who is restless and haunted by a mysterious, long-ago commitment to a sailor whom she believes represents the untamed nature of the sea. Set in a Norwegian fjord community, the play explores themes of marriage, freedom, and self-determination, culminating in a powerful moment of choice regarding her fate. Ibsen examines the complex desires of a woman trapped between domestic stability and primal longing.

11. Office Suite (Two One-Act Plays: Green Forms, A Visit from Miss Prothero) by Alan Bennett
    This volume collects two sharp and melancholic one-act plays by the celebrated British author Alan Bennett, both focusing on the quiet desperation and stifled lives of office workers. Green Forms details the petty rivalries and small triumphs of two women in an anonymous bureaucracy, while A Visit from Miss Prothero explores an elderly man’s retirement disrupted by a former colleague's suffocating concern. Bennett’s signature observational humor and pathos are brilliantly displayed in these short, poignant studies of modern life.

12. The Provoked Wife (The New Mermaids) by John Vanbrugh
    A witty and cynical comedy from the late Restoration period focusing on the miserable marriage of Sir John Brute, a drunkard, and his young, intelligent wife, Lady Brute, who contemplates taking a lover simply to escape the boredom and abuse. Vanbrugh critiques the restrictive nature of marriage and the social constraints placed upon women, employing biting dialogue and mistaken identities. This edition includes scholarly notes and an authoritative text.

13. Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot
    Eliot’s powerful verse drama recounts the events leading up to the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, exploring the nature of martyrdom and spiritual obedience. The play uses highly formalized language and a chorus to meditate on the conflict between temporal and spiritual power, and the acceptance of destiny. It is a profound, poetic exploration of faith, duty, and sacrifice, considered one of the great modern dramas.

14. Two Radio Plays: Money With Menaces and To the Public Danger by Patrick Hamilton
    This collection showcases two tense radio thrillers by the master of psychological suspense, Patrick Hamilton, author of Gas Light and Rope, demonstrating his ability to build intense drama purely through dialogue. Money With Menaces is a gripping story about blackmail and deceit, while To the Public Danger creates a horrifying atmosphere of tension and implied violence involving casual cruelty on a road trip. These plays highlight the specific demands and atmospheric power of early radio drama.

15. Unidentified Play (Decorative Cover)
    Representing a valuable, if currently unidentified, piece of the theatrical repertoire, this volume features a formal, decorative border typical of classic edition play texts. While the specific title is obscured, its inclusion suggests a work significant to the history of dramatic literature or a rare regional publication. It adds an element of mystery and discovery to this curated box of stage works.

16. Penguin Plays: Traverse Plays (Various Authors)
    An anthology dedicated to showcasing radical new writing that emerged from the influential Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, known for premiering cutting-edge, experimental work. The volume features plays by leading contemporary dramatists including Marguerite Duras, Heiner Müller, and Heathcote Williams, capturing the vibrant and often provocative spirit of modern British and European theatre. This collection is crucial for understanding the evolution of avant-garde stage work.

17. Kismet by Edward Knoblock
    The original play upon which the famous 1953 musical is based, this exotic drama is set in ancient Baghdad, centering on the adventures of the charismatic but impoverished beggar Hajj, whose sudden stroke of luck raises him to power. The story is a sweeping romantic adventure filled with intrigue, beautiful princesses, and sudden twists of fortune, capturing a dramatic, romanticized vision of the Middle East. It is a classic example of early 20th-century Orientalist theatre.

18. When Did You Last See My Mother? by Christopher Hampton
    Hampton’s earliest acclaimed play, written while he was still a student, explores the strained and often hostile relationships between young people adrift in London, struggling with sexuality, communication, and disillusionment. The central conflict involves an unconventional love triangle and themes of parental absence and generational gap, captured with acute, youthful melancholy. This sharp drama established Hampton as a significant voice in modern British theatre.

19. Peter Pan: A Fantasy in Five Acts by J.M. Barrie
    The original stage play text of the timeless fantasy tale about the boy who refuses to grow up and the Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael, who fly with him to Neverland. While often adapted into gentler forms, the stage version retains much of Barrie’s whimsical melancholy and deeper observations on motherhood, memory, and the pain of maturity. It remains one of the most beloved and performed children's fantasies in the theatrical canon.

20. Back to Methuselah by Bernard Shaw
    George Bernard Shaw’s epic cycle of five interlinked plays, conceived as a dramatic biological and philosophical history of humanity from the Garden of Eden to 31,920 A.D. The massive work explores Shaw’s theory of "Creative Evolution," predicting a future where mankind has overcome death and evolved into pure intellect. It is a sprawling, ambitious, and highly provocative drama that challenges traditional religious and scientific beliefs about human longevity and purpose.

21. A Slap in the Farce & A Matter of Wife and Death by Eugene Labiche
    This volume offers two brilliant examples of French farce by Eugene Labiche, known for his masterful construction of absurd and frantic comic situations that satirize the Parisian bourgeoisie. A Slap in the Farce (Le Misanthrope et l’Auvergnat) and A Matter of Wife and Death showcase Labiche’s sharp wit and meticulous plotting, providing insight into the foundation of modern comedic theatre.