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Critic's Choice - Acting Edition
A play in three acts, Critic's Choice tells the story of theater critic Parker Ballantine whose second wife, Angela, writes a play which is produced on Broadway. The play is awful and Parker must decide whether or not to review the play honestly.
72 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1962
79 people want to read
About the author
Ira Levin
76 books1,741 followersLevin graduated from the Horace Mann School and New York University, where he majored in philosophy and English.
After college, he wrote training films and scripts for television.
Levin's first produced play was No Time for Sergeants (adapted from Mac Hyman's novel), a comedy about a hillbilly drafted into the United States Air Force that launched the career of Andy Griffith. The play was turned into a movie in 1958, and co-starred Don Knotts, Griffith's long-time co-star and friend. No Time for Sergeants is generally considered the precursor to Gomer Pyle, USMC.
Levin's first novel, A Kiss Before Dying, was well received, earning him the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. A Kiss Before Dying was turned into a movie twice, first in 1956, and again in 1991.
Levin's best known play is Deathtrap, which holds the record as the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway and brought Levin his second Edgar Award. In 1982, it was made into a film starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine.
Levin's best known novel is Rosemary's Baby, a horror story of modern day satanism and the occult, set in Manhattan's Upper West Side. It was made into a film starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance. Roman Polanski, who wrote and directed the film, was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
Other Levin novels were turned into movies, including The Boys from Brazil in 1978; The Stepford Wives in 1975 and again in 2004; and Sliver in 1993.
Stephen King has described Ira Levin as "the Swiss watchmaker of suspense novels, he makes what the rest of us do look like cheap watchmakers in drugstores." Chuck Palahniuk, in , calls Levin's writing "a smart, updated version of the kind of folksy legends that cultures have always used."
Ira Levin died from a heart attack at his home in Manhattan, on 12 November 2007. He was seventy-eight at the time of his death.
After college, he wrote training films and scripts for television.
Levin's first produced play was No Time for Sergeants (adapted from Mac Hyman's novel), a comedy about a hillbilly drafted into the United States Air Force that launched the career of Andy Griffith. The play was turned into a movie in 1958, and co-starred Don Knotts, Griffith's long-time co-star and friend. No Time for Sergeants is generally considered the precursor to Gomer Pyle, USMC.
Levin's first novel, A Kiss Before Dying, was well received, earning him the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. A Kiss Before Dying was turned into a movie twice, first in 1956, and again in 1991.
Levin's best known play is Deathtrap, which holds the record as the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway and brought Levin his second Edgar Award. In 1982, it was made into a film starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine.
Levin's best known novel is Rosemary's Baby, a horror story of modern day satanism and the occult, set in Manhattan's Upper West Side. It was made into a film starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance. Roman Polanski, who wrote and directed the film, was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
Other Levin novels were turned into movies, including The Boys from Brazil in 1978; The Stepford Wives in 1975 and again in 2004; and Sliver in 1993.
Stephen King has described Ira Levin as "the Swiss watchmaker of suspense novels, he makes what the rest of us do look like cheap watchmakers in drugstores." Chuck Palahniuk, in , calls Levin's writing "a smart, updated version of the kind of folksy legends that cultures have always used."
Ira Levin died from a heart attack at his home in Manhattan, on 12 November 2007. He was seventy-eight at the time of his death.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 5, 2020
3+ Stars.
Parker is a critic by trade and critiques just about everything....even his wedding night with his second wife, hehehe. But he loves Angela. So when she decides to write a play, he agrees to read it with the stipulation that he'll be his brutally honest self.
"I won't lie Angie. This isn't a cake or a hair-do or a slip cover."(Ladies, you'll want to smack this dude!)
So....after the bad news is communicated, discord is prominent between the couple, but Parker is confident no one in his right mind will produce it....not the play he just read anyway. Ok, he does like the title....The Gingerbread World.
Another man then enters the picture....as well as Parker's X. All is not well.
See how it all ends and view a couple photos of a young Henry Fonda in this edition.
Not my favorite Ira Levin read by far, but definitely not "a stinker" like Angela's play!
May 13, 2013
Read and produced years ago. A very witty and intelligent play.
May 30, 2024
I enjoyed the humor in this one. Though somewhat dated in spots - there’s still an engaging quality with the characters that make you want to see them performed live and root for the obvious outcome.
I found the extremely detailed stage direction curiously overbearing to the director-to-be so hopefully that can be overcome for a production.
I found the extremely detailed stage direction curiously overbearing to the director-to-be so hopefully that can be overcome for a production.
May 21, 2023
Very much a slight play of its time. But Levin was not trying to write the next Great Play. He was writing a frothy comedy for the current Broadway season. And in that, he succeeded. It would have been nice to see Henry Fonda on stage in it.
June 20, 2024
Neat concept. Some funny moments. Some clever moments. Perhaps it doesn’t quite live up to the concept. Readable though, and kept me entertained for a few hours. Not Levin’s best play. Try Deathtrap.
September 28, 2022
A fun play set in the 60's. Made for a fun show and a delightful movie starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews