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The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, and Other Plays for Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond Tomorrow
Book by Bradbury, Ray
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
3 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Ray Bradbury
1,368 books25.3k followersRay Douglas Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 30, 2015
This is a small collection of three short one-act plays that Bradbury wrote in the 1970s that I was completely unaware of, although in saying that, I recognise both the title play (The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit) and one other (The Veldt) as short stories. I don't know if they started off as plays and were converted, or the other way around but both still work very well as plays. I'm not so experienced at reading plays but it does feel like there's dialogue but not much in the way of stage direction.
The title play follows six young Latino immigrant workers who pool their resources and buy a single white suit that they share out amongst themselves. It's about friendship and poverty and what can be learned through sharing and is a sweet little play. The Veldt is an altogether darker affair. It has themes of parental affection, misuse of technology and the tension between work and family life. The final play, To the Chicago Abyss has elements of Fahrenheit 451, although from a different perspective.
I would love to see these performed, just to see how they'd work on stage, rather than on the page, especially the technological magic of The Veldt. Even without that, though, they're still very enjoyable to read.
The title play follows six young Latino immigrant workers who pool their resources and buy a single white suit that they share out amongst themselves. It's about friendship and poverty and what can be learned through sharing and is a sweet little play. The Veldt is an altogether darker affair. It has themes of parental affection, misuse of technology and the tension between work and family life. The final play, To the Chicago Abyss has elements of Fahrenheit 451, although from a different perspective.
I would love to see these performed, just to see how they'd work on stage, rather than on the page, especially the technological magic of The Veldt. Even without that, though, they're still very enjoyable to read.
December 17, 2025
Tres narraciones en forma de comedia para el teatro, cada una ingeniosa, entretenida y divertida. El traje color vainilla llena de hilarante jocosidad, la historia de un traje que es el sueño de cinco amigos que sustentan sus aspiraciones en el uso de ese blanco y maravilloso traje. Pero que al vestirlo pasaran por una serie de peripecias que hacen divertida la narrativa y los diálogos. El altiplano sudafricano es terroríficamente actual, y que describe la rutina de una familia en la cual los artefactos de vanguardia tecnológica son la prioridad, por encima de la familia. Al abismo de Chicago es triste, un anciano logra sentir y expresar los deseos de los que están cerca de él, lo que no agrada a aquellos a quienes les manifiesta con palabras y ademanes sus verdaderos y anhelados sueños,
February 9, 2010
Bradbury is in rare form when writing these plays, as his description of action between spoken lines rings with his passion and his praternaturally eerie evocation of feeling. Some actors may feel that this limits their performance; I would disagree. To tell a Bradbury story through the medium of the stage or the screen is to take on the task of bringing forth every nuance of emotion, of reaction to what we, the audience, can see only in the theater of our minds. This, fellow thespians, is one of the greatest challenges you could take on -- a mixture of minimal stage setting, of skillful manipulations of lights and sounds, of reader's theater morphed into a live performance to grip an audience in the sweaty palm of fear and wonder...
For readers of Bradbury, you won't be disappointed either. Those of you who may find it difficult to follow reading scripts will find plenty of narrative and dialog to keep you mesmerized, particularly if you have already read the original story and watch how the Master uses the stage to bring to life "The Veldt". An excellent addition to any Bradbury fan's library.
For readers of Bradbury, you won't be disappointed either. Those of you who may find it difficult to follow reading scripts will find plenty of narrative and dialog to keep you mesmerized, particularly if you have already read the original story and watch how the Master uses the stage to bring to life "The Veldt". An excellent addition to any Bradbury fan's library.
October 1, 2011
This is a collection of three plays that Bradbury wrote for his own Pandemonium Theatre Company. They are all based on short stories, stories which I have read before. In light of that previous experience with these stories, I was surprised by how much I liked re-reading each of them in this format. Bradbury is smart enough to realize the inherent strengths and weaknesses of a theatrical production as compared to a prose story and makes some smart decisions on how to tweak this material. Although the conventions are a bit dated now (Bradbury treats unit sets and the use of evocative sound and lighting cues as if they are brave, new innovations), this is still an enjoyable read - and these plays would likely still make an enjoyable evening of live theatre.
October 16, 2021
At our last Book Club meeting, the gal (CeCe) leading the discussion about Ray Bradbury told me I would love the story, "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit." The book I found at the library had this story and two others--"The Veldt" and "To the Chicago Abyss". I had recently seen the two latter stories in episodes on Peacock. All three of these stories I great!
November 23, 2018
Si bien los tres textos aparecen como cuentos en otras publicaciones, el hecho de darles atmósfera, condiciona las escenas y le da aún más emoción al relato. El "Abismo de Chicago" sin duda alguna, es un abismo. Un túnel, un viaje, una transformación.
December 9, 2023
1/3 The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
★★★★☆
2/3 The Veldt
★★★★★
3/3 To the Chicago Abyss
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
2/3 The Veldt
★★★★★
3/3 To the Chicago Abyss
★★★★☆
May 7, 2025
No le entendí joven…
December 16, 2015
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit & Other Plays for Today, Tomorrow & Beyond Tomorrow (1972) is a small collection of plays based on three of Ray Bradbury's short stories. Bradbury was one of the most celebrated science fiction authors of his time. The plays featured are the titular "Ice Cream Suit," as well as "The Veldt" and "To the Chicago Abyss." I had read the short story versions of the last two but not "Suit."
In the titular story, six down-on-their-luck fellows pool their money to buy a spectacular, white (vanilla ice cream colored) suit that they all can share to impress the ladies, win new friends, and, hopefully, turn their luck around. They learn that there's much more to be gained in the friendship they develop with each other.
"The Veldt" is a very creepy story of the future. A future where two doting parents provide their children with every new gadget possible--including a playroom that can make the kids' every thought and dream come to 3-D life. When the children change their playroom to the African veldt, complete with hungry lions, the parents learn, too late, that gadgets can't take the place of love.
And, finally, "To the Chicago Abyss" takes the reader to a bleak dystopian future where all is rubble and there are few pleasures left. One old man can remember only the pleasures of the past as broadcast through the media or in the trivialities of everyday life--advertisements for coffee, cigarettes, kazoos for children, thimbles and imitation flowers. Speaking about the past--of things that no one can have now--is outlawed and the man must avoid the police and seek out those willing to listen to his memories.
The stories make for short, quirky plays and Bradbury does an excellent job adapting them. I, however, prefer the works in short story form. ★★★ and a half for the wonderful stories by a master.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
In the titular story, six down-on-their-luck fellows pool their money to buy a spectacular, white (vanilla ice cream colored) suit that they all can share to impress the ladies, win new friends, and, hopefully, turn their luck around. They learn that there's much more to be gained in the friendship they develop with each other.
"The Veldt" is a very creepy story of the future. A future where two doting parents provide their children with every new gadget possible--including a playroom that can make the kids' every thought and dream come to 3-D life. When the children change their playroom to the African veldt, complete with hungry lions, the parents learn, too late, that gadgets can't take the place of love.
And, finally, "To the Chicago Abyss" takes the reader to a bleak dystopian future where all is rubble and there are few pleasures left. One old man can remember only the pleasures of the past as broadcast through the media or in the trivialities of everyday life--advertisements for coffee, cigarettes, kazoos for children, thimbles and imitation flowers. Speaking about the past--of things that no one can have now--is outlawed and the man must avoid the police and seek out those willing to listen to his memories.
The stories make for short, quirky plays and Bradbury does an excellent job adapting them. I, however, prefer the works in short story form. ★★★ and a half for the wonderful stories by a master.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
December 25, 2022
Один из лучших рассказов у Брэдбери, которые я читала. Да что там! Это одна из лучших историй о дружбе, как по мне. Редкая книга вызывает такие светлые ощущения.
Брэдбери не просто фантаст. В первую очередь он пишет о людях, их чувствах, поступках, эмоциях. Этот рассказ о шестерых бедных друзьях, которые вскладчину купили один костюм на всех и по очереди его носили. Костюм цвета сливочного мороженого, который делал их счастливыми. Это не просто один на всех костюм, это одна на всех мечта, которая объединила шестерых человек навсегда.
Мне нравятся атмосферные истории, и этот рассказ именно такой. За окном минусовая температура, рядом мерцает новогодняя ёлка, но этого всего не замечаешь при чтении. Читаешь и чувствуешь тёплый летний вечер и некоторую ностальгию по тем детско-подростковым временам, когда собирались все друзья и казалось, что эта дружба никогда не закончится. Замечательный рассказ. Очень душевный, добрый и…человечный, что ли. Он не просто о дружбе, а о том счастье, которое совершенно не в деньгах или костюме.
Но если копнуть чуть глубже, то можно понять, что этот рассказ не только о дружбе. Эти шесть мужчин – проекция общества, вернее его малоимущей части. Хоть в конце рассказа один из героев понял, что для него и его друзей самое важное, но на протяжении всей истории эти шесть человек переживали не столько друг за друга, сколько за костюм. За то материальное, что даёт им какой-никакой, но социальный статус.
Брэдбери не просто фантаст. В первую очередь он пишет о людях, их чувствах, поступках, эмоциях. Этот рассказ о шестерых бедных друзьях, которые вскладчину купили один костюм на всех и по очереди его носили. Костюм цвета сливочного мороженого, который делал их счастливыми. Это не просто один на всех костюм, это одна на всех мечта, которая объединила шестерых человек навсегда.
Мне нравятся атмосферные истории, и этот рассказ именно такой. За окном минусовая температура, рядом мерцает новогодняя ёлка, но этого всего не замечаешь при чтении. Читаешь и чувствуешь тёплый летний вечер и некоторую ностальгию по тем детско-подростковым временам, когда собирались все друзья и казалось, что эта дружба никогда не закончится. Замечательный рассказ. Очень душевный, добрый и…человечный, что ли. Он не просто о дружбе, а о том счастье, которое совершенно не в деньгах или костюме.
Но если копнуть чуть глубже, то можно понять, что этот рассказ не только о дружбе. Эти шесть мужчин – проекция общества, вернее его малоимущей части. Хоть в конце рассказа один из героев понял, что для него и его друзей самое важное, но на протяжении всей истории эти шесть человек переживали не столько друг за друга, сколько за костюм. За то материальное, что даёт им какой-никакой, но социальный статус.
February 25, 2020
"The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit"
I thought this was going to be a creepy play about a guy selling an ice cream (or something sweet) with the image of "IT" while reading it... but it turned out to be a funny comedy about friendship. Yeah, it was okay.
The whole play had a Latino vibe (with all the main characters being Latinos, to the music), and I've imagined San Diego as the setting.
"The Veldt"
Apparently, it was originally a short story published in 1950, and then turned into a script by Bradbury for the Canadian-produced anthology television series The Ray Bradbury Theater, aired on 1989.
Since the book started off with a (kind of) heartwarming story, I thought this one was going to be a similar story. I was SO wrong. And I quite liked it!
Bradbury seems to have this fear for future technology, which problems we are facing today. (not literally. I've never heard of a room that could really kill a person with CGI lions.)
Oh, but reading that it's set in 1991 (or maybe it was 1996) made me laugh. Ah, the futuristic world of the past.
"To the Chicago Abyss"
I still don't understand what the story was about. I think it was set in the "Fahrenheit 451"-esque, dystopian future, and.... nope, that's all I've got.
I'll watch the short drama I've found on YouTube, and try to figure out.
I thought this was going to be a creepy play about a guy selling an ice cream (or something sweet) with the image of "IT" while reading it... but it turned out to be a funny comedy about friendship. Yeah, it was okay.
The whole play had a Latino vibe (with all the main characters being Latinos, to the music), and I've imagined San Diego as the setting.
"The Veldt"
Apparently, it was originally a short story published in 1950, and then turned into a script by Bradbury for the Canadian-produced anthology television series The Ray Bradbury Theater, aired on 1989.
Since the book started off with a (kind of) heartwarming story, I thought this one was going to be a similar story. I was SO wrong. And I quite liked it!
Bradbury seems to have this fear for future technology, which problems we are facing today. (not literally. I've never heard of a room that could really kill a person with CGI lions.)
Oh, but reading that it's set in 1991 (or maybe it was 1996) made me laugh. Ah, the futuristic world of the past.
"To the Chicago Abyss"
I still don't understand what the story was about. I think it was set in the "Fahrenheit 451"-esque, dystopian future, and.... nope, that's all I've got.
I'll watch the short drama I've found on YouTube, and try to figure out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2015
I had read the Wonderful Ice Cream Suit and the Veldt, the last story was new to me...out of the 3 stories/plays, the Veldt is one of my favorites. It is about a home of the future (sort of like the Jetsons) where the home does everything for you, like make your meals, clean your floors, turn on and off the lights, make the beds, and in the case of the children's playroom, entertain your children. The father of the house, with 2 children seems to work a lot and puts work over family time. To appease his children, especially the boy who just wants to fish and spend time with his dad, he buys an interactive playroom, with 3D walls that can show you anything you think of...Paris, the Sphinx in Egypt, AND the African veldt, complete with hungry lions...I won't spoil the ending.
October 22, 2015
Lo que un maravilloso traje blanco, blanco como la vainilla puede significar para 4 chicos pobres, enamorados de la noche
La pradera nos muestra como las fantasías de los niños no siempre son tan inocentes
Al abismo de Chicago, el abismo del futuro y el olvido de las cosas simples y bellas cuando todas ellas se evaporen: el cafe, los chocolates, la música...
3 piezas teatrales que me hubiese encantado conocer cuando estudiaba teatro. y recitar sus diálogos llenos de añoranza, de ingenuidad.
May 20, 2015
Ray Bradbury is absolutely brilliant. I thought the Ice Cream Suit was very poignant. The statement at the end about losing the gang if they were rich was so powerful. The Veldt was AMAZING and creepy and I would absolutely love to see it performed. It reminded me a lot of Smarthouse, that Disney Channel Original Movie, but much better and clearly quite dystopian. I also enjoyed and was saddened by the Chicago Abyss, but I preferred the first two plays to the last one.
September 14, 2009
Superfluous, since the three plays are adaptations of well-known RB stories. But they read well, especially the delightful title piece, about six poor men of similar build who pool their money to buy a beautiful white suit to share.
August 4, 2013
I feel like these were supposed to be profound and they just weren't for me...I was unimpressed. This is what happens when you choose a book because it has "Ice Cream" in the title (N.B. "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" has nothing to do with ice cream). I did like "The Veldt", though.
September 18, 2017
This is three short plays that Bradbury adapted from his short stories. My favorite is “The Veldt,” perhaps because of Stephen Colbert’s reading of it on “Selected Shorts,” or because it’s my favorite. I bought this used somewhere, it says for $1.00.
November 13, 2015
One of my teachers had us read this in elementary school.
July 16, 2015
Ray Bradbury is not my favorite Sci Fi author, however this is an excellent series of short quirky plays, well written and easy to read. It would be interesting to perform some of these.
June 11, 2016
I quite enjoyed reading these plays. Ray Bradbury is always a great writer, and these are no exception.
July 2, 2016
The Veldt is very good. The other two plays included leave something to be desired.
January 28, 2020
This collection of plays is hilarious. I thououghly enjoyed reading this book as a comedic break between heavy texts.
July 18, 2022
The Wonderful Ice cream Suit is a delightful, and light-hearted tale of being poor, and longing for nice things. The movie is one of my favorites!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews