Brief Description
A study of the history of performances of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author.
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Since its premiere in Rome in 1921, Six Characters in Search of an Author has gained worldwide recognition. Pirandello's challenge to stage representation was taken up by leading directors and changed theater's perception of itself. Jennifer Lorch examines the play's impact through close analysis of individual productions in the context of theater history and practice. Her book includes a chronology of the most important productions, a bibliography and illustrations from major productions.
Review Quotes
1. 'Jennifer Lorch's splendid book, which recounts both Pirandello's own rewriting and the readings of the play made by directors in succeeding decades, is boldly dynamic in scope and intention, and constitutes not merely a history of productions but a pursuit, a recherche, into the very process of creation. ... Lorch is superb on the inner history of rewriting and on the outer story of Italian and international productions. ... Jennifer Lorch's researches have been exhaustive. ... It is written in a sprightly style which allows her to carry her learning lightly, but it rests on extensive research and on delicately balanced judgements. This is a considerable achievement, and an enhancement of our knowledge of Pirandello.' Pirandello Studies
2. "The carefully researched and well-written volume is the result of years of research conducted in international libraries and collections as well as through interviews and is a masterful achievement. Professor Lorch's attention to detail, her theatrical acumen and her grasp of significant moments in the history of the play and its importance to the international dramatic canon are everywhere in evidence in the book." - Jana O'Keefe Bazzoni, Baruch College, The Pirandello Society of America
