First produced by the Moscow Art Theater in 1899; Uncle Vanya is one of Chekhovs greatest plays and a staple of the theatrical repertoire. Both structurally and psychologically compact; it is among the most expressive of the Russian playwrights dramatic works.Set on an estate in nineteenth-century Russia; this deeply emotional tale of misplaced idealism and unrequited love concerns the complex interrelationships between a retired professor; his second wife; and his brother-in-law and daughter from a previous marriage. In deceptively mundane dialogue; the characters reveal their private tragedies mdash; weakness and inability to communicate mdash; the failures that lead them to lives of frustration and despair. Nevertheless; Chekhovs delineation of human frailties elicits sympathy for even the most irresolute and deluded characters; and the plays underlying message is one of courage and hope.Essential reading for any course in modern theater; this absorbing play continues to be popular. Students; theatergoers; and all lovers of great drama will appreciate this inexpensive edition of a masterpiece.
#418121 in eBooks 2013-02-20 2013-01-23File Name: B00A73BS7O
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. ANYONE who is interested in comedy MUST read this book. Its essential for learning where standup first stood up.By Michael L RobertsonIve read The Last Laugh probably six or seven times; which oughtta tell you how good a review this will be...and Im delighted to learn that I can now have the Kindle version with me at all times.Phil Bergers book was the first to look at the origins and inside workings of standup comedy. Its written in a sort-of jazz hipster patois that may seem a little dated now; but which certainly rings true when you see it alongside the jazz-influenced routines of Lenny Bruce; Lord Buckley; and other influential fathers of modern comedy.Youll get tastes of lots of comedians who were successful in the 50s and early 60s; but largely forgotten today. Youll learn about the part of Rodney Dangerfields life you never heard before. Youll see who influenced Robert Klein and George Carlinmdash;who would go on to influence virtually every comic of the past 40 years.If youre building a library devoted to standup; this should be the first volume you buy. It is indispensable!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Material is good but published copy needs seriously formatting changes...By R. Keith ClinganWritten in the late 1970s this book has a lot of insight but too much of it reads like one continuous passage. There are no chapter breaks to use as place markers when reading over an extended time. The formatting of the book was strange -- quotes of lines from comics were indented seperately for the main text and place names were placed outside the main text. For someone who reads a lot of books and was a former newspaper editor seeing such unusual formatting is jarring.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. GoodBy Stanley A. MorrisGood book/seller