Robert Knopf

Plays from the early part of the 20th century, spanning several new movements of the time, including Dada, Surrealism, and Futurism. The plays share certain features, including lack of linear plot, bleak views of the world, and a distaste for standard conventional theatrical conventions. They are mostly interesting, though a few of them are rather weak. The collection includes a discussion of the movement and the authors in advance of each play, mostly written by scholars. Following each play, there is an essay, usually written by the playwright, about the play itself or, more often, about the movement and about theatre in general. Overall an interesting bit of history; many of these plays will not seem so unusual or different to those in the 21st century, since conventional theatre has actually adopted many of the changes, but they were definitely trend setting plays at the time they were written.… (meer)