The Theatre of the Absurd

The original work on the genre, and still the best.

This is obviously an essential read for anyone with an interest in theatre: a book that has managed to remain as influential and as fresh as it was when it was published in the 60s. Esslin can easily brag of having been there first. Before everyone started jumping on the "absurd" bandwagon he wrote a whole book devoted to the subject. Hell, even the name "Theatre of the...more

This is obviously an essential read for anyone with an interest in theatre: a book that has managed to remain as influential and as fresh as it was when it was published in the 60s. Esslin can easily brag of having been there first. Before everyone started jumping on the "absurd" bandwagon he wrote a whole book devoted to the subject. Hell, even the name "Theatre of the Absurd" was coined by him.* Part of the reason why the book hasn't lost its appeal is, I think, the fact that it is very accessible. You don't need to know much about the subject in order to understand Esslin's views. It offers a basic understanding of the works of playwrights typically associated with the theatre of the absurd, such as Beckett, Pinter, Ionesco, Adamov, Genet, Albee, etcetera. The book does not overwhelm with details, nor does it delve deeply into each play. Esslin prefers to merely touch upon each work only as much as it is necessary in order to draw comparisons that will make it as easily for us as possible to find the common theme and to solve the "puzzle" of the play. I found this book very interesting, though didn't exactly love it. I admit to enjoying reading the works of the playwrights mentioned a great deal more, but with the help of this book I now understand them better. If you plan to do an extensive read of any of the playwrights mentioned above, The Theatre of the Absurd will definitely enhance your experience.   hide