The Playwright's Manifesto
eBook - PDF

The Playwright's Manifesto

How You Can Be The Future of Playwriting

  1. 304 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

The Playwright's Manifesto

How You Can Be The Future of Playwriting

About this book

Shortlisted for the STR Theatre Book Prize 2023
A manifesto for the future of playwriting, this book challenges you to be a part of that future in the belief that it is fundamentally important to write plays. Plays help us understand ourselves, others, and the world around us. Reading this book, you will be challenged to learn your craft, explode what you know, prioritise what is important to you, and write in the way that only you can write. Most books on playwriting explain how to create a believable character in a story driven by plot. This book, however, goes even further in its exploration of the playwright's most valuable tool: theatricality. By learning from the past, and the present, the playwrights of tomorrow can create new, vivid, theatrical drama for the future. This manifesto also examines the process of writing, the art of collaboration, and the impact of writing on a playwright's mental health. It identifies the highs and lows, as well as the trials and tribulations, of life as a playwright in today's world. Theatre is a living artform. It is time for playwrights to acknowledge that fact and to celebrate the unique, primal thrill that a live theatre experience offers us. The future of playwriting is in your hands. Do you accept the challenge?

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Yes, you can access The Playwright's Manifesto by Paul Sirett in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
Methuen Drama
Year
2022
Print ISBN
9781350204287
eBook ISBN
9781350204300
Edition
1
Subtopic
Drama

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Halftitle page
  3. Title page
  4. Copyright page
  5. Dedication
  6. CONTENTS
  7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  8. PREFACE
  9. PROLOGUE
  10. PART ONE
  11. 1.1 WRITE PLAYS
  12. 1.2 WRITE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
  13. 1.3 WRITE LIKE ONLY YOU CAN WRITE
  14. 1.4 STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
  15. PART TWO
  16. 2.1 IT ISN’T NATURAL(ISM)
  17. 2.2 TEAR DOWN THE FOURTH WALL
  18. 2.3 DRAMATIC STRUCTURE IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC LAW
  19. 2.4 YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR CHARACTERS
  20. 2.5 YOU ARE A DRAMATIC POET
  21. 2.6 GET MUSICAL
  22. 2.7 GET PHYSICAL
  23. 2.8 THINK BIG
  24. 2.9 SHOCK, BREAK AND PROVOKE
  25. 2.10 WRITE A POSTDRAMATIC PLAY
  26. 2.11 WRITE ACCESSIBLY
  27. PART THREE
  28. 3.1 THE WAY TO WRITE
  29. 3.2 THEATRE IS COLLABORATION
  30. 3.3 TAKE THE BUSINESS OF BEING A PLAYWRIGHT SERIOUSLY
  31. 3.4 LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
  32. 3.5 YOU ARE THE FUTURE OF PLAYWRITING
  33. EPILOGUE
  34. REASONS TO BE A PLAYWRIGHT
  35. NOTES
  36. BIBLIOGRAPHY
  37. INDEX