قاتل بلا أجر

by Eugène Ionesco, أنور لوقا (Translator)

no dust jacket, name first page, spine nicked. First Grove Hardback Edition, 1960, top corner edge bumped ,complete satisfaction or refund.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Romania, France, 20th Century, Theatre

173 pages, Unknown Binding

First published June 1, 1960

About the author

Eugène Ionesco, born Eugen Ionescu, was a Romanian playwright and dramatist; one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. Beyond ridiculing the most banal situations, Ionesco's plays depict in a tangible way the solitude and insignificance of human existence.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Jobie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plays in this volume: Maid to Marry; Improvisation; The Killer.

My favorite play as I read Ionseco's cannon is "The Killer."

In "Improvisation" Inoesco (himself) wrestles with is role as playwright against critical scholasticism. It begins with Ionesco's reluctance to tell people what his story is about (especially since he hasn't completed it yet). Bart I asks him who he is in the play . . . "Oh no, definitely not the chameleon. I don't change color everyday . . .I'm not always being towed along by the latest fashion." But through the story you can see Inoesco feels towed along.

"Maid to Marry" comments on appropriate behavior, desires and words with what seem like lots of empty flattery between the GENTLEMAN and THE LADY. The twist at the end is not only visual (for the audience but no for the characters) but the twisted (and horrific) end for us i also a horror to them since it goes again the proper decorum and word play previously established.

"The Killer" is about a serial killer. Berenger increases in anxiety until his breakdown. It is a commentary on social norms, the haves and have-nots, justice and empty politics.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

ایده ی "شهر مشعشع" در اغلب نمایش نامه های یونسکو بچشم می خورد. اینجا "برینر" داستانی را روایت می کند که یونسکو در کودکی شینده؛ زمین از جای بلند می شود و همه چیز در اطرافش درخشان (مشعشع) می شود. به زودی خبر می رسد قاتلی در شهر است که قربانیانش را به این بهانه که عکس "سرهنگ" را به آنها نشان دهد، درون استخری غرق می کند. برینر که عاشق زنی به نام "دانی" شده، پس از آن که می فهمد زن به قتل رسیده، در جستجوی قاتل، گرد شهر سرگردان می شود. در انتها با قاتل که مردی ریزجثه است، روبرو می شود و در نطقی بلند، شبیه انتهای "کرگدن ها"، تلاش می کند به قاتل بفهماند که قتل کار زشتی ست. ولی قانع می شود که بازداشتن قاتل از قتل، تلاش بیهوده ای ست. روشن نیست که "شهر مشعشع" نماد یک جامعه ی مدرن و صنعتی ست؟ یا شهری با مردمانی شاد و خوشبخت، یا چه؟ یونسکو جایی گفته شهر مشعشع، شهری ست با چراغ های فراوان، و مردمانی خوشبخت تا آن که!

در مورد "تیاتر ابزورد" اینجا را بخوانید
http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In most anthologies, you take the good with the bad but here you get to take the great with the great with the great. All three plays -- the epic "The Killer," the sly "Improvisation," and the hilarious "Maid to Marry -- stand the test of time, with their mind-spinning wordplay of false truths and true falsities, as Ionesco would put it. The anti-fascist, crime comedy "The Killer" especially feels like a monumental achievement, although its third act, 15-page monologue alone would probably take a year to master.

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Killers" (1959 or 60) was Ionesco's most ambitious play up to that time, and I found it very impressive once the full effect of the sets and lighting throughout each of the three acts was apparent. The two shorter works, "Improvisation" and "Maid to Marry" were amusing, but nothing to write home about.

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for "The Killer" only. The other plays in this book I will review separately. The first 3 Ionesco plays I read were all terrible and I almost gave up on him. This one is almost as brilliant as "Killing Game."

Second reading of "The Killer": my opinion has not changed.

[Cassidy Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

ionesco is awesome!

[Giorgi Komakhidze · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABNORMALITY!

The Killer KILLS!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the marvelous opening, the rest of the play felt like Ionesco wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do. And whereas the conclusion would be interesting to see staged, it seems like the conclusion for some other play. Unlike Rhinoceros, then, where the chaos adds to the zany fun (granted, for such a serious topic), The Killer needed more control.

[Rick Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absurdist drama is really rather dated. It's more cute than penetrating now, and sometimes it's really a bit irritating. Even so, especially when one checks out the performances as actually performed on stage, they work surprisingly well.

[Raoul W · Rating 2 out of 5]

a play about a "rather commonplace morality, which collapses like a leaking balloon" when put to the test. Quick, fun read. Is everything relative?