Edward Gorey On Stage: Playwright, Director, Designer, Performer: a Multimedia Memoir

by Carol Verburg, C.J. Verburg

Most fans of the artist Edward Gorey know him as the author of lavishly drawn, sparely plotted little books in which hapless characters come to hopeless ends. But if you happened to be in the right place at the right time, you might know him as a dramatist. From Boston's Poets' Theatre to New York's Broadway, and from Bourne to Provincetown on Cape Cod, Edward Gorey applied his distinctive wit to writing and directing plays for actors and puppets--occasionally including himself. This short memoir is an affectionate chronicle of Gorey's theatrical experiments by the friend and neighbor who produced most of them. Illustrated with color photographs, script and review excerpts, and drawings Gorey created for his twenty-odd "entertainments."

88 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2012

Reviews

[Jaksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, quick read which would be most interesting to a true Edward Gorey fan. It goes over the many plays and other productions which Mr. Gorey staged after his retirement to Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The one thing which stood out for me, however, was how much Mr. Gorey hated to analyze his work. He just wanted to put on the performance and move on to the next...

And what a performance each was. Bizarre, quizzical, nonsensical, replete with live actors, puppets, music, silliness, and lots of fun and laughter. I own a few of his works, and have visited his house in Yarmouth - the house is now a small museum - and plan to visit again soon.

Wonderful, weird (he'd have liked that) and interesting little volume.

Five stars.

[Christine J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, interesting read about Edward Gorey’s theatre work. I’m a fan of his art and odd little stories and can only imagine what his plays must have been like. This book gave me a few hints.

[Carol Costello]

This multimedia book is delightful in many ways. It offers an immediate experience of Edward Gorey’s art, his passions, and his life from someone who knew him well. EGOS brought Edward Gorey to the chair next to me and kept bringing a smile to my face. The author manages to capture both the spirit and the movement of an extraordinary life in the arts. It is a joy to read, whether or not you know much about the subject.