A Game in Yellow

A Game in Yellow by Hailey Piper, 288 pages

Carmen and Blanca have been in a bit of a rut, sexually speaking, despite scraping the bottom of their vast barrel of kink-related twists. Blanca thinks she has the answer in a mysterious woman named Smoke, who introduces the couple to a play that is much more than it seems. Soon Carmen has been pulled under the play's influence, unable to tell what's real and what's not.

This is a very particular sort of erotic-meets-psychological horror, one that I'm sure has its fans. However, I am not one of them. This was a strange book, and while I did want to know where Carmen would end up, getting there was certainly a journey I don't want to take again. If anything about that first paragraph intrigues you, by all means, give this a read; otherwise, I have a boatload of other horror novels to recommend.

Cymbeline

 Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, 166 pages.

Princess Imogen has secretly married a man that her father, King of Britain, does not approve of (despite the fact he is almost universally regarded as the best of men). He is angry because he intended for her to marry his stepson, and in his fury at his daughter's disobedience, he banishes her new husband. This triggers a series of events that will lead to betrayal, scandal, disguises, and old secrets revealed, all as she attempts to get back to her husband. 

After reading Judi Dench's book on Shakespeare, I realized that I haven't actually read a Shakespeare play in a number of years. This one struck my fancy from that same book, so I decided to give it a try. I really liked this play! Although Imogen's stepmother makes for a somewhat weak villain, I did overall really like the characters in this play. I also really liked the mythic, almost fairy tale like, quality that this play maintained. While not my absolute favorite of Shakespeare's plays, I do think that this one is definitely underrated, and it deserves more appreciation.  

The Importance of Being Earnest

 The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, 160 pages.

Jack Worthing finds the pressures of being a wealthy gentleman and good example to his ward completely unbearable at times. So when it all gets to be too much, he goes off to London to deal with his rascally brother Earnest, a role which he gets to embody in town. This secret comes out in London to his friend Algernon, who has his own similar scheme. He is about to give up the came in preparation to propose to Algernon's cousin Gwendolyn, when who should show up at his country estate but his non-existent brother Earnest? 

I last read this play in high school and remembered very little except that I really liked it. Rereading it now I remember how uproariously funny it is. The title itself is a pretty remarkable pun, and overall I was delighted at how well the humor holds up 125 years later. This is an extremely silly play, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh. 

Overture to Death

 

Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh  336 pp.

This is the eighth book in the Inspector Roderick Alleyn mystery series. Once again it involves a theater presentation. This time it's a small town group mounting a play as a charity event. The characters are all townsfolk with varying degrees of friendship and/or animosity between them. I found this episode disappointing because of the overlong build up to the murder of an older spinster which doesn't happen until halfway through the book. The others characters include the rector and his daughter, the local squire and his son, the town doctor, a recently arrived widow(divorcee?), another older spinster, and a bratty young boy. Death is accomplished through a booby trapped piano. Both spinsters are unpleasant women who who have crushes on the rector while feeling entitled to butt into the love lives of the others. Alleyn has to deal with much misinformation from all the witnesses and suspects because of "propriety". No one wants to reveal anything to protect their own amorous activities from being found out. In the end the perpetrator turns out to be the obvious choice.

Enter a Murderer

 Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh  245 pp.

Inspector Roderick Alleyn is invited by reporter Nigel Bathgate to attend a performance of a play. In the play two characters fight over a gun which discharges. However, someone replaced the blanks in the gun with real bullets cause the real death of one of the players. It's up to Alleyn with assistance from Bathgate to figure out who in the cast and/or crew in the theater is responsible for the crime. I remember reading another Marsh/Inspector Alleyn mystery involving a theater but it concerned the "Scottish Play" of William Shakespeare. Marsh's mysteries are tightly woven, quick to read, and satisfying.

A Couple of Blaguards

A Couple of Blaguards by Malachy & Frank McCourt  96 pp. 

This is the script of the two man show performed by the McCourt brothers in the 1980s. It's a collection of conversations and commentaries on their lives growing up in Limerick, Ireland and later living in New York City. There is humor, poignancy, and song. I would've liked to see this play with the brothers performing but you can find performances by others on YouTube.   

The Winter's Tale

The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare  225 pp.

I initially started listening to the Audible full cast recording of this play but, as it is not one I am greatly familiar with, I found it hard to follow. I ended up reading along with the recording and enjoyed it greatly. It is the story of two old friends who are the kings of Bohemia and Sicily and a case of mistaken jealousy which drives them apart and destroys the marriage of one. This play is generally cataloged as a comedy because it does end happily. However, at the outset it appears to be a tragedy. The performance includes Sinead Cusack, Dame Eileen Atkins, and a brief appearance by Sir John Gielgud among others. 

Tempest-Tost

Tempest-Tost by Richardson Davies  288 pp.

This is the first book in the "Salterton Trilogy" and I have no plans to read the following two. There is nothing wrong with this novel per se, but it doesn't seem to go anywhere. In spite being set in Canada, it is a very British manor & village style story. The Salterton local theater group is planning to stage "The Tempest" and invade a local estate to the dismay of the owner and his gardener. The rest of the story involves the various characters and the ups and downs of their various attempts at pairing up. In spite of a miscellany of problems with the production and the lives of its actors, the show must go on. There are humorous moments in the book but, for me, there's not enough meat there to recommend it.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne, J. K. Rowling and a bunch of other people, 319 pages.

All of your favorites are back in this dramatic interpretation of the Hogwart's saga. Well Fred and George aren't there. And I don't remember seeing Luna. A lot of your favorites are there, anyway.
Harry's child and a young Malfoy (not Draco, younger) team up to try and right some wrongs. Secrets are revealed and alternatives explored. Kara posed a question about the (almost) ending that has me wanting to reread it soon. I'm not going to give anything away, mostly because I'm pressed for time.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne, 319 pages

Two decades after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter is all grown up with kids of his own. The Cursed Child focuses on Harry's middle child, Albus, who doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the Potter family, and is attempting to define himself as something other than "famous Harry Potter's odd son." When he heads to Hogwarts, he strikes up an unlikely (well, to fans of the original series, anyway) friendship with Scorpius Malfoy, who is experiencing many of the same personal problems. Without going into the plot too much, the two go on a time-twisting adventure in an attempt to save Cedric Diggory, but find how one small change can cause HUGE ripples across time.

This is definitely a departure from all other Harry Potter books (including the handful of short books J.K. Rowling wrote after they were referenced in the series). For one thing, it's a four-act play, which means it has a lot more action in a much more condensed form. It's also the first official Harry Potter thing not written directly by J.K. Rowling (who provided the story, but didn't write the script). There are definitely some elements I wasn't a huge fan of, and I must say that I missed the subtle hints that Rowling dropped throughout the books. However, it's excellent to pop in on the characters that we got to know so well, and see how they have developed over the years.

I'm sad that I haven't been able to see the play, which, so far, is only open in the West End. But someday it will cross the pond and, if they're able to accomplish half the crazy stage directions, it'll be AMAZING to see.

Hold Me Closer

Hold Me Closer: the Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan  200 pp.

This is a companion to one of my favorite YA books, Will Grayson, Will Grayson. That novel was written by my two favorite YA authors, Levithan and John Green. In Will Grayson... the large, gay, football playing Tiny Cooper writes and directs an autobiographical musical play about his big gay life. Hold Me Closer is the script of that musical complete with song lyrics and some added commentary. The only thing I wish it had was the music to the songs. The play chronicles Tiny's life and mainly focuses on his search for a partner to love. One of the musical numbers is a parade of his ex-boyfriends telling the reason things didn't work out with each of them. An appearance by the ghost of Oscar Wilde who tries to council Tiny is an added bonus. There are some thoughtful lessons in this short book but Levithan doesn't beat you over the head with them. I especially liked Tiny's former babysitter telling him that you aren't less of a person if you are not one half of a couple. You don't have to read Will Grayson... before you read this but it will add more depth if you have.

Inherit the Wind

Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee 129 pp.

I don't know how many times I have read this play. It is one of my favorites, as is the 1960 film starring Spencer Tracy & Fredric March. It is based on the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee--"The Trial of the Century" (or one of many). The essential arguments of whether or not scientific thought that may directly conflict with Biblical principles could be taught in the schools. The play pits logic and freedom of speech against belief. At the heart of it is the argument of whether everything in the Bible should be taken literally. Much of this version is taken from actual trial transcripts. I'm not sure if my favorite lines in the play are from those transcripts or created by the playwrights. ("Figure somebody pulled off another creation, over in the next county?" and "Does a man have the same privileges that a sponge has?) I enjoyed it just as much this time as I have all the other times I read it.

Gielgud: An Actor and His Time

Gielgud: An Actor and His Time, a memoir by Sir John Gielgud  255 pp.

This memoir, written twenty-one years before the actor's death, chronicles his life in the theater up to 1979. He was born into a family of actors (the Terrys), with grandparents, great uncles, great aunts, aunts, uncles and cousins who were all well known on the English stage. Gielgud divided the book into chapters each covering 10-15 years of performances he acted in or directed. There are anecdotes about particular actors he worked with as well as technical discussions of various productions. Frequently mentioned is his work with friend and fellow actor Ralph Richardson on the stage and in motion pictures and the book is dedicated to Richardson and his wife, Mu. Gielgud mentions nothing about his personal relationship with impresario, Hugh "Binkie" Beaumont except in terms of their professional life. His partner of thirty-five years, Martin Hensler does not appear in the book at all. Many photos of the actor in his various roles are included.

Drama

Drama by Raina Telgemeier by 233

Fans of Glee will probably enjoy this graphic novel about putting on a school musical. Of course, there are the usual girl/boy attractions and conflicts. The main character is Callie, a girl very into set design and the backstage part of play production. In the course of the book she develops and abandons various crushes, meets a wonderfully talented pair of twins, and is a major part of the production of the school musical. It brought back memories of my high school drama days. I think I'll recommend it to my old drama teacher.

Beatrice and Virgil

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel  197 pp.

How do a novelist, a taxidermist, a donkey, and a howler monkey come together in a story about the Holocaust? In this odd little book, Henry is a novelist whose second book, a Holocaust story, is deemed unpublishable. Henry receives a letter from another man named Henry who sends him a story by Flaubert and a short but intriguing portion of a play and asks for help. Author-Henry goes to meet the other Henry and learns he is a taxidermist by trade. Beatrice, it turns out is a donkey in Taxidermist-Henry's shop. Virgil is the howler monkey sitting on her back. The donkey and monkey are the main characters in the play that Taxidermist-Henry is writing. The two Henrys end up collaborating on the play which is ultimately a tale of genocide. I had a hard time getting into this story and became determined to finish it since was so short.

Wendy and the Lost Boys

Wendy and the Lost Boys by Julie Salamon  460 pp.

While this book may sound like a Peter Pan sequel, it is subtitled "The Uncommon Life of Wendy Wasserstein." Wasserstein was a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright (for "The Heidi Chronicles") and the first woman to win a solo Tony Award for a writing the same play. She was also named after Wendy in Peter Pan by her oldest sister. This book chronicles her life from her childhood in Brooklyn through her death of lymphoma at the age of 55. She was an uncommon talent but constantly dealt with the demon of not being "good enough." Her mother, Lola, was an important presence in her life and the main source of Wendy's insecurities. Her siblings were highly successful in their chosen fields, due in part to Lola's prodding. But Wendy was never pretty enough, thin enough, stylish enough, never married a nice lawyer or businessman, and, in spite of her talent and success, didn't meet Lola's expectations and therefore her own. Wendy was also haunted by the fact that she had a brother she didn't know about until adulthood. Her brother Abner (one of the "lost boys" of the title) was institutionalized before she was born and essentially treated as a non-entity by the family. Wasserstein had a string of relationships that never resulted in marriage. Her chosen family were her friends in the theater world but she remained close to her blood family. She gave birth to a daughter, Lucy Jane, at the age of 48 but never revealed the name of the baby's father. Wasserstein's career included writing for the stage, screen, and television (even Sesame Street), as well as novels and books of essays.

King Henvry VI

King Henry VI/Shakespeare 220 pg.

I read King Henry VI Part 2 because I wanted to read Shakespeare's history plays. I've always been interested in English History. - Susie

Eleven Verse Plays

Eleven verse plays 1929-1939 by Maxwell Anderson 1175 pgs.

I chose this because most of the plays are historical fiction -- one of my favorite genres. - Susie