The Secret Life of Plays

by Steve Waters

The Secret Life of Plays examines several plays' hidden workings and the trade secrets that govern their writing. Steve Waters takes the reader through the key elements of dramatic writing to show how plays are more than the sum of their parts, with as much inner vitality as a living organism.

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing, Theatre

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2010

Reviews

[Cat Randle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book off the back of an Amazon review. At first, I found the language difficult and the book hard to get into. Once I persevered, this book had a lot of good things to say about plays and playwriting. It helps if you read plays of have access to the plays mentioned in the book. If you are not a native of England, this will be a difficult book to understand, if you haven't read some of the plays he references. HOWEVER, his chapters on time, tension and how to set up a play are very useful. He does give enough of the example of the play he sites for the reader to get an understanding of the anatomy of how a play works. His choice of playwrights is wide-ranging and I can see this is a book for a writer who has finished or wants to improve their craft or an undergrad taking a degree in theatre and playwriting. It has helped me a lot in my own work. I am going to donate my copy to Andover poetry library. Well worth a read.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s always good to get the basics right, and Waters does. Was very good, even though some of it is a bit surface level or way too wordy for what it’s saying. I liked it more than most instructional/ help books I’ve read recently.

[Salli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging book. Examples I can relate to, well written, no hint of academic obfuscation. It might just be I am ready for this book after so many years of study but it just chimes with my needs now. Each chapter needs reading on its own with a pause for thought afterwards.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for my creative writing module and it was helpful, but boring and since I am not doing the module anymore, I won't read this again.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

About as good as anything else out there on the subject.