The Collected Plays of Paul Rudnick: Wickedly Funny and Cerebral Works from One of America's Great Humorists

by Paul Rudnick

“Paul Rudnick is a champion of truth (and love and great wicked humor) whom we ignore at our peril.” —David Sedaris, author of Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day , and Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

This definitive collection of Paul Rudnick’s plays presents the pinnacle of theatrical hilarity from one of America’s great humorists. Popular for his wickedly funny novels, including I’ll Take It and Social Disease , comic screenplays like In & Out and Addams Family Values , and the Augusten Burroughs-like memoir I Shudder , Rudnick remains best known for his cerebral but side-splitting theatrical writing. With echoes of Neil Simon, Thornton Wilder, and Noel Coward, Rudnick plays like I Hate Hamlet , Jeffrey , and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told are outstanding fixtures of America’s comedic canon.

Genres: Plays

544 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once upon a time I read a lot of plays. Long after I stopped doing any acting or tech, even after I'd stopped attending plays unless family or friends were involved, reading them never stopped. So just recently it occurred to me that all the Rudnick plays that weren't available from my public libraries were available at work. So after decades of hanging about in a want-to-read, but can't afford to buy, limbo, finally they are mine.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, my theory is that Paul Rudnick's body of work is responsible for marriage equality. He's funny, and unconditionally accepting in a way everyone should be, but pretty much never is. And if he isn't, please don't tell me: I want to believe.

***

This morning I finished The New Century, and thus, the collected plays. Good thing I posted individual comments on separate entries for the plays, and that I stretched this out a bit, because my comments are all probably very much the same: I love Paul Rudnick's work because he reminds me to be joyful despite everything, a reminder I need frequently. The reminder is appreciated every time.

Library copy

[Lily P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Kindle)

The David Sedaris of playwrights.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

just LOOVE his I Hate Hamlet--about a struggling actor who ends up getting the role, lives in Barrymore's apartment (which Rudnick did!) and has the spirit of Barrymore coaching him. an absolute HOOT. The Most Fabulous Story is predicated on the fundamentalists' line, God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. it's raunchy and just over the top funny. Gave up trying not to laugh out loud at the beach... continued to read two more plays. Flamboyantly loopy witty wordplay, but also love of the quirks and foibles of humanity. Found myself quite touched by his characters.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

As my first year orientation to law school class teacher once said: "Don't worry, a 'C' is a really, really, really good grade at _______ University Law School." I tell that moving story because my grading standards tend to be high when rating books and even though I greatly enjoyed these plays and the author's talent/wit, I still gave it a 3/5. Can't quite bring myself to go to 4.

[Yaroslav · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Hate Hamlet ***
Jeffrey ***
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told ***
The Naked Eye ****
Valhalla ****
Regrets Only ***
The New Century ****

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very silly, dorky, funny, buoyant. Somehow Rudnick keeps surprising me by hitting more significant targets than most "serious" playwrights.