The Playwright as Thinker By Eric Bently

by Eric Bentley

Here is Bentley's definitive original text, including his long-suppressed foreword. A major study by one of the leading modern dramatic critics. Introduction by Richard Gilman; new Afterword by the Author. Index.

Genres: Drama, Theatre, Writing, Literary Criticism, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

He was a theater critic and translator.

Taught freshman English at UCLA for a year. And that is where he met the "German playwright Bertolt Brecht, who had recently immigrated to the United States after fleeing Nazi Germany and was unknown in this country. The two of them became close, and it was Bentley who translated a lot of Brecht's work into English and helped establish his career in America."

source - American Public Media

Reviews

[Julian Munds · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good piece of theatrical criticism. I particularly enjoyed the chapter comparing Wagner and Ibsen. There is wonderful insight here. However, his dislike of what he terms "Broadway" shows its age (as does his disregard for O'Neill as a dramatist of note.) I can understand the lack of depth he accuses the Broadway (or commercial) stage of being. This problem persists today. It is a shame a Bentley rep theatre never came to be.