WARHOLCAPOTE: A Non-Fiction Invention

by Rob Roth

An enthralling play based on lost tapes between two cultural giants and friends—Andy Warhol and Truman Capote.In 1978 Andy Warhol and Truman Capote decided to write a Broadway play. Andy suggested that he record their private conversations over the period of a few months, and that these tapes would be the source material for the play. The tapes were then filed away and forgotten. Their play was never completed. Now, award-winning director Rob Roth brings their vision to life after a years-long search to unearth the eighty hours of tapes between two of the most daring artists of postwar America. WARHOLCAPOTE, based on words actually spoken by the two men, is set in the ’70s and ’80s, toward the end of their close connection and not too long before their untimely deaths. Their special, complex friendship is captured by Roth with bracing intimacy as they discuss life, love, and art and everything in between. Every word in the play comes directly from these two 20th century geniuses. The structure of the conversations springs from Roth’s imagination.

Genres: Nonfiction, Plays, LGBT, Audiobook, Biography

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2022

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Disambiguated authors:
(1) Rob Roth - Disambiguation in progress (Current Profile)
(2) Rob Roth - Realms of the Eldian

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, rounded down.

My sincere thanks to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

As someone semi-obsessed with Warhol (and to a much lesser extent, Capote), and someone who reads over 100 plays each year, this would seem tailor-made for me. And to a large extent, it DOES fulfill its promise. My hesitation to award it a full 5 stars are two-fold - it seems a missed opportunity that out of 80 hours of recorded conversation between two such titans, Roth has only managed to salvage a mere 80-minutes worth for his play.

Secondly, the script for said play only comprises 45% of this text. The OTHER 55% is excerpts Roth decided NOT to include (many of which are more revealing than what made the final cut), plus a totally superfluous 'glossary' which hilariously elucidates who Liza, Scorsese, DeNiro, Halston, etc. are - and even what the White House is - for those Neanderthals who are unaware!

Oddly, the excised portions have the names of famous people redacted (e.g., [wife of famous rock star], [famous fashion designer] that anyone reading this could probably decipher - yet the names are kept in the actual play itself -- decidedly weird.

Also included here is what might be the most interesting section to me - a brief summary of how Roth gained access to this material and a diary of the many setbacks bringing it to the stage, including losing original star Leslie Jordan (who would seem a more apt Capote than Dan Butler) less than a week before opening.

One must be grateful that even this small fragment has seen the light of day, but one hopes that at some point the entire transcripts for the conversations gets published. And from what the reviews and this short excerpt on YouTube reveals, the playing of the script left a little something to be desired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzYJd...

https://variety.com/2017/legit/review...

[Chad]

I have not read this one yet. But I did just live stream the book event at the New York Public Library, and it was amazing. Here is the YouTube link for anyone interested...the actors reading the book were really good, and I can only hope they do an audiobook together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-btch...

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous composition. This play is a great portrait of two 20th Century geniuses in their own right. I don't claim to know a whole lot about either Andy Warhol or Truman Capote, but I was unaware that the two were friends. It was interesting reading snippets of real-life conversations the two had together. My rating reflects my thoughts on the play itself. I didn't want to include the bonus content in my rating because I don't want to disregard what I found to be profound moments in the heart of it rather than my personal opinion on the extra portions. Some of it was just a bit much for me and a little bit difficult to follow with the redacted (and understandably so) names.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warholcapote: A Non-Fiction Invention contains the play, written by Rob Roth but envisioned by Andy Warhol and Truman Capote more than 30 years earlier. Warhol and Capote decide to write a Broadway play based on tape recordings of their private conversations. Warhol tapes their conversations over the years but they never write the play. Roth makes a discover about Warhol and Capote's idea and finds the tapes and invents this play from Warhol's tapes, hence A Non-Fiction Invention.

The play is well written and it embodies the personalities of Warhol and Capote. It made me laugh at times and it made me feel the sorrow and sadness that these two men had in their lifes. Of course reading a play is nothing like seeing it performed. I did find a recording of part of the play from 2017 and it was truly wonderful. I would love to see a full production.

The book also contains some "bonus material". This material is more conversations between Warhol and Capote on various topics. It is unclear whether these conversations are straight transcriptions or mash-up inventions like the play, but I think they are direct transcriptions.

My favorite part of the book was Roth's description of the process he used to write the play and get it produced. It was a true labour of love. The book was a reminder to me of my appreciation for Warhol's art and Capote's prose. I read "In Cold Blood" as a teenager in the "70s. I loved it. I did not realize at the time what a groundbreaking book this was for the genre of true crime. I still love true crime.

Link to play part: https://youtu.be/IzYJd8C8VOM

[Kendelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was not for me. i see the vision for it, but i just felt a bit disappointed by it. i hope it falls into the hands of people who are able to appreciate it in a different light

[*JEN the booknerd* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting concept of taking these tapes and turning them into a "play." I think it worked okay. The second part of the book is just extra conversations without any real context. I found this interesting, I am a big Warhol fan and I had no idea that he and Capote were friends. Capote was a great writer but wow, what an ego!! I was very irritated that in the second part of the book they are talking so much about different people and they don't let us know who they are talking about. (Capote's boyfriend, an heiress, an actress, etc.) If you're spilling tea I need all of it!

All in all, pretty entertaining. I found a little difficulty reading their conversations only because they cut each other off a lot and don't finish their sentences. (Just like me trying to have a conversation in real life!) Also Andy seems like he was so sweet!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I go back and forth on my how I feel about this work-Andy Warhol has been a favorite of mine since the eighties and who better to be paired with than Truman Capote? But I felt some disappointment, especially reading about the "addition of outside quotes" for Andy (though they are direct quotes and even I grew tired of reading "Gee. God. Wow" though that is how he talked). I really enjoyed the bonus material-quite amusing. Roth also worked long and hard to make this happen and fulfill the duo's intent AND stayed as true to the original concept as well as could be expected. It is a non-fiction invention, after all. Maybe I'm just peeved that Capote interrupted Andy so much :)
I'm looking forward to hearing a reading next week and really can't wait for the time when it is reprinted with redacted names intact!
WarholCapote-they don't make 'em like that anymore!
#NetGalley

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using previously restricted audiocassettes from the Warhol archives, Rob Roth wrote a play featuring dialogue between Andy Warhol and Truman Capote, based on conversations they had late in their lives. The play itself is haunting, particularly as it highlights Capote’s struggles with alcohol and drugs.

Further, Roth includes transcripts of additional conversations on various topics highlighting the lives of certain (unnamed) celebrities in 1970s Manhattan, LA, and London. The redacted names are a little distracting, but it’s still both entertaining and more than a bit sad, as it shows the struggles of closeted individuals at that time.

Roth closes with a narrative describing his own journey to having the play produced.

As an archivist, I found the Roth’s process most fascinating, as he convinced the directors of the Warhol to allow him to have the sealed tapes digitized and transcribed (an enormous expense). The personalities of both men come through. Warhol, who once stalked Capote, still seems like the young, starstruck fan, while Capote’s own insecurities are also evident. #TrumanCapote #NetGalley

[Jessica White · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not a secret that I'm obsessed with all things Truman Capote.

But I'm also obsessed with Andy Warhol.

So when my sister handed me this book, I immediately jumped right into it and finished it while I was on my weekend trip.

Rumor has it, Andy and Truman had been talking about recording their conversations and turning all their drama and gossip into a Broadway show. A show I definitely would have wanted to see. When Rob Roth caught wind that there might actually be tapes recorded between these two icons, he jumped at the chance to find them. The Warhol Foundation confirmed there are almost 3,000 tapes in their possession that can't be shared until 50 years after Andy's death. So yeah, 2037. A handful of these tapes were released to Roth and he decided to re-imagine their conversations into a "play" of sorts, which resulted in this book.

These two men are absolutely icon in my eyes.
I will be not so patiently waiting for the next 14 years for those tapes to be released.

More book reviews for Andy and Truman on A Reader's Diary!

[Rachel Sartoris · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARHOLCAPOTE

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WARHOLCAPOTE by Rob Roth includes not just the play, it also includes the background of how the play came to be, the process Roth employed to write the play and bonus material of Warhol and Capote “conversations” not included in the play.

While reading WARHOLCAPOTE, I could hear their voices speaking to me through the pages, visualize what these conversations may have looked like. Their joy and laughter, pain and loss, the distinct ways they both spoke. It made me feel as if I was in the room with these two luminaries of the arts, a fly on the wall of a bygone era when 15 minutes of fame was a lot harder to come by and to keep it was even harder. Whether you are a casual fan of either Andy Warhol and/or Truman Capote or a lifelong devotee, reading WARHOLCAPOTE will put a smile on your face and maybe even bring a little tear to your eyes…It certainly did mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #WARHOLCAPOTE #simonschuster

[Devin Mainville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two legends known for filtering real life - be it murder or celebrity visages - through their imaginations have their own real conversations filtered into a narrative of the play they never got to complete. WARHOLCAPOTE uses Andy Warhol and Truman Capote’s actual words to create five fictionalized conversations between the two men towards the end of their lives.

This play/book is a treasure trove for fans of Warhol and/or Capote, but I think even those who are not fans will find this exercise interesting. These are the kinds of conversations we all wish we could be a fly on the wall for - two icons opening up about their deepest insecurities and also gossiping about their famous friends.

As an ardent fan of both, I could probably listen to all the countless hours of tapes of these two bickering - Andy being endlessly upbeat and Truman being massively annoyed by it - and I am so grateful that this exists at all. Here’s hoping I can someday see a performance!

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘WARHOLCAPOTE: A Non-Fiction Invention’ by Rob Roth is based on the stage play composed entirely of conversations between icons Andy Warhol and Truman Capote.

Andy Warhol and Truman Capote became friends when Warhol, as a young fan, started writing Capote. At a late point in their friendship they conceived of a stage play comprising their real life conversations, so they started taping themselves. Sadly, it didn’t happen while they were both alive. Rob Roth made the project happen and the stage play is presented here along with what I believe are some extra vignettes that didn’t make it in to the play as well as an afterword by Roth.

The book offers a unique glimpse into their artistic processes, personal struggles, and the complexities of their bond. Reading stage plays is strange for me, but the stage notes and the sparse nature of the staging makes it a fluid read.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A play based on the lost tapes of friends Andy Warhol and Truman Capote.

I really should know better. I love Broadway, but I hate reading plays. As a fan of both Warhol and Capote, I thought that would be enough to hold my interest. Especially since I had no idea they were friends (I know nothing about celebs other than their work, and sometimes not even that). Some of the conversations were interesting, a few made me laugh out loud, and I did enjoy references to happenings in the 70s and 80s. Mostly, though, I was thinking “ffs why did they think this was a good idea?”

Hands down the most interesting fact I learned was that the two were introduced by Jackie Kennedy’s sister.

Gratitude to the publisher for providing and ARC in exchange for an honest review. Available 9/20/2022.

[AnnieM · Rating 4 out of 5]

WarholCapote is a play written from actual recordings of Andy Warhol and Truman Capote but ingeniously and artfully recreated into rich and entertaining dialogue. I am fans of both of them and felt like the dialogue really accurately depicted their personalities and outlooks on life. It is a short play and a quick read but there are also segments by theme as an additional theme as well as a glossary of the references (I was proud to say that I know all of the references). Roth also shares insights into what went into researching, getting permission to access many hours of recordings, as well as staging and producing this play. A quick enjoyable read and I would love to see it staged.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tawney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book cries out for voices. This is due to the conversations between Warhol and Capote being loaded with interruptions, fragmentary exclamations and repetitions. The intonations and pauses in speech would be a true bonus. The play, which has been assembled from transcripts of tapes, is nicely done. It would be good as a performance. The second part of the book offers talk on a variety of subjects. As a whole you get a feel for the differing personalities (or at least as presented here) - Warhol bouncy and enthusiastic, Capote world weary, but no large new insights into what made them tick. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy.

[Dylan Zucati · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if this works as intended. I don't think I could know without seeing it on stage. I don't think anyone will do this show locally any time soon without having deeply personal reasons to mount it.

What I do know is that these interviews are interesting, I can't wait for the rest of the Warhol tapes to be unsealed. I doubt we'd have seen these if not for the play, so maybe that's reason enough for it to exist.

Capote would have loved the concept of using his actual words to create a sort of fictional play. I just wonder what venom he would have uttered when asked what he thought of the production.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a lifelong Truman Capote fan with a healthy admiration for Andy Warhol. And I love my musicals and plays. I've been aware of WARHOLCAPOTE since I saw that Leslie Jordan (RIP, gentle man gentleman) was going to (originally) be playing Truman. Was very pleased to find this book at the library while I was browsing the shelves.
The play itself absolutely deserves five stars. The "Bonus Material" in the rest of the book is more uneven. But I really enjoyed Truman's story called DOG. Also was very interesting reading the playwright's process of writing the play.

[Christine Comito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short audiobook play narrated by actors who really nailed Capote's and Warhol's voices. Kind of a weird little play, but Roth's explanation was fascinating. How it all was dreamed up by Warhol and Capote totally agreed and Warhol loved to tape his conversations. Then when Warhol died all the thousands of tapes were sent to the vault. When Roth learned about them he had to do some fancy footwork to access them and then transcribe them and put together a story using only Warhol and Capote's words.

[Anxious Bibliophile Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'd really enjoy seeing this play preformed. It's always hard to get the emotion in these kind of shows just by straight reading it. A good actor will really be able to show Truman's decline throughout.

It's interesting to see Andy evaluating the circumstances throughout since he's the one that has hindsight into Truman's struggles and fall.

I wonder if you're someone who knew nothing about Truman Capote or Andy Warhol what you would think. I know the backgrounds and have studied both more than just superficially, so I get it. But without having someone to act it out I think it's kind of hard to read. To care about why these two artists talk the way they do. The references to Tennessee Williams, Marilyn Monroe, and Liza Minnelli, it's all a specific snapshot of time and scene.

I enjoyed the excerpts that Rob Roth includes after the play ends. Capote and Warhol really lived in a world dripping with celebrity. I also enjoyed Roth's afterward explaining how he started the project .

All together I enjoyed reading this and hope I can see a small production somewhere someday. Probably will have to YouTube it eventually.

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting concept about two of my favorite pop culture icons. I listened to the audiobook, and I’m glad I did, as it was read by the original actors for the stage play. It felt like I was listening to the actual tapes of Truman and Andy. There were moments of great comedy that made me laugh, but there were also some very dark, tragic scenes that felt very real. I’m glad the writer brought this project to light.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of both Warhol and Capote, I loved to get a glimpse into the interactions between the two. I thoroughly enjoyed the way that Roth created the atmospheric imaginings while keeping true to the dialogue. It truly enhanced my interpretation of the text and I loved every minute of it. I only wish it had been longer!

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew of Andy Warhol. I knew of Truman Capote. Separately. I like the idea of this play/book. I would love to listen to these tapes. This book helped me take a deep dive into some of the subjects that these two discuss. I found it both fascinating and trivial. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

[Anders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun diversion. I've been reading Capote and watched the season of Feud about him, so it was cool to see him in yet another version. Warhol had some worthy quirks as well. The whole project is interesting but also pretty short and lacking any real conclusion. I imagine its much better watched performed than read as well.

[thatswhatimtolkienabout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warholcapote was a really fun read! Rob Roth got all the dialogue from Warhol’s cassettes, “Approximately eighty hours of recordings”, and turned them into a play and into this book. I loved reading the interactions between Warhol and Capote, it was exciting to read their actual words.

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would see this play in a heartbeat! Laugh out loud funny, and possibly the most explicit thing I’ve ever read?!? That the play and following chapters of the book are based on actual tape recordings between Truman Capote and Andy Warhol is truly stranger than fiction.

[Ellen Kress · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read (it’s a play!) lots of bonus material which I enjoyed more than the play. The verbatim aspect was interesting to me and perhaps I would have been more into it if I had known more about either Warhol or Capote

[Emily Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the stories at the end the best

[Christa Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing adaptation based on audiotapes recovered and digitized.

[Zachary Boone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool play, published copy is full of lots of bonus content that I didn’t necessarily read word for word. Sue me.

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have GOT to stop reading books about people I don’t know. I don’t care how interesting the description is.