Writing in Restaurants - Softcover

Mamet, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140089810 ISBN 13: 9780140089813

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 1987

Synopsis

"Essays in direct line from Stanislavsky, Chekhov, Shaw, and Brecht"
—Mike Nichols

A collection of essays from Pulitzer Prize winning playwright David Mamet adressing many issues in contemporary American theater

Temporarily putting aside his role as playwright, director, and screen-writer, David Mamet digs deep and delivers thirty outrageously diverse vignettes. On subjects ranging from the vanishing American pool hall, family vacations, and the art of being a bitch, to the role of today's actor, his celebrated contemporaries and predecessors, and his undying commitment to the theater, David Mamet's concise style, lean dialogue, and gut-wrenching honesty give us a unique view of the world as he sees it.

About this title

About the Author

David Mamet's numerous plays include Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross (winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award), American Buffalo, Speed-the-Plow, Boston Marriage, November, Race and The Anarchist. He wrote the screenplays for such films as The Verdict, The Untouchables and Wag the Dog, and has twice been nominated for an Academy Award. He has written and directed ten films, including Homicide, The Spanish Prisoner, State and Main, House of Games, Spartan and Redbelt. In addition, he wrote the novels The Village, The Old Religion, Wilson and many books of nonfiction, including Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose and Practice of the Movie Business; Theatre; Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama and the New York Times bestseller The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture. His HBO film Phil Spector, starring Al Pacino and Helen Mirren, aired in 2013 and earned him two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing. He was co-creator and executive producer of the CBS television show The Unit and is a founding member of the Atlantic Theater Company.

Reviews

In these essays, playwright Mamet addresses many issues in contemporary American theater, such as the electronic amplification of live stage, the hidden politics of the theater and the proper function of the actor or playwright. PW called these pieces "short and hard-hitting."
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0140089810
• ISBN 13: 9780140089813
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160