Noah Haidle: Three Plays: Rag and Bone; Mr. Marmalade; Vigils

by Noah Haidle

Precocious and formidably talented' (The New Yorker), Noah Haidle is now considered 'one of the most foremost playwrights of his generation' (The Boston Globe). This collection celebrates the arrival of Haidle's virtuosic theatrical talent by bringing together three of his most acclaimed plays to date.

Rag and Bone, in which two brothers run an under-the-counter business in human hearts and emotions - 'delightful moments of absurdity' (The New York Times)

Mr Marmalade, in which four-year-old Lucy delivers a crash-course in contemporary relationships, 'alternately hilarious and heartbreaking' (The New Yorker) and Vigils, 'a simple, sweet exploration of human memory and grief' (Variety)

Genres: Plays

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noah Haidle is sure to be a significant (and significantly interesting) voice in our generation's theatre. I've read several of his plays now (and heard about the wacky sometimes completely un-produceable ideas behind several more) and am quite interested in his work. He's prolific, he's quirky, and he's thought-provoking, but the very best of his work hints at the deep emotional thoughtfulness of his work as well. To be specific:

Rag and Bone: An interesting play full of interesting "stage metaphors" and some striking colors to it.

Mr. Marmalade: I can see why this is his most popular play to date. It's fun, it's silly, and it's actually quite sad to think about the implications of what he presents.

Vigils: By far my favorite, and the one play of his I had read previous to this collection. I love this play. I think it is felt, interesting, thoughtful, and somehow sentimental without reeking of sentimentality. The ending doesn't totally work, which is unfortunate. However, reading a play like this is exciting, because it showcases an interesting and fulfilling direction the theatre might be moving in.

I do take general offense at young playwrights who don't really take advantage of actors, or seem to trust them. I do think Haidle sometimes falls into this category. You get the impression that an actor investing in the richness of their process might just get in the way of his surface images and ideas at times. However, his better stuff does dig deeper, and deeper into character, and I hope he continues to find that, rather than reveling in intellectual ideas through playing strictly with cliche. I suppose in the end only time will tell. Either way, he's a very interesting new voice, and "Vigils," and "Mr. Marmalade" are worthwhile reads.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Vigils is my favorite. Would love to see these plays on stage.

[Jonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

All three are beyond brilliant, although I tend to favor "Vigils".