Three One-Act Plays
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Three delightful one-act plays set in and around New York, in which sophisticated characters confound one another in ways only Woody Allen could imagine
Woody Allen’s first dramatic writing published in years, “Riverside Drive,” “Old Saybrook,” and “Central Park West” are humorous, insightful, and unusually readable plays about infidelity. The characters, archetypal New Yorkers all, start out talking innocently enough, but soon the most unexpected things arise—and the reader enjoys every minute of it (though not all the characters do).
These plays (successfully produced on the New York stage and in regional theaters on the East Coast) dramatize Allen’s continuing preoccupation with people who rationalize their actions, hide what they’re doing, and inevitably slip into sexual deception—all of it revealed in Allen’s quintessentially pell-mell dialogue.
Woody Allen’s first dramatic writing published in years, “Riverside Drive,” “Old Saybrook,” and “Central Park West” are humorous, insightful, and unusually readable plays about infidelity. The characters, archetypal New Yorkers all, start out talking innocently enough, but soon the most unexpected things arise—and the reader enjoys every minute of it (though not all the characters do).
These plays (successfully produced on the New York stage and in regional theaters on the East Coast) dramatize Allen’s continuing preoccupation with people who rationalize their actions, hide what they’re doing, and inevitably slip into sexual deception—all of it revealed in Allen’s quintessentially pell-mell dialogue.
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3 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
There Is No Bad Woody Allen
5 Sep 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I will admit to having once owned all of Mr. Allen's published works; at least all that were available to the general public. I began reading him in college (70's-ish), and knew immediately I had hit upon an author I would watch forever. There is an amazing spirit in there, with a sense of humor that is flawless to these tender, midwest ears. HE HAS NEVER (NEVER) FAILED TO MAKE ME LAUGH!! (I still have the gut-wrenched muscle-memory of damage done to my abdominal arena, the result of my first reading his description of attending a theater performance of.... a MIME.) I have not fully recovered.
Nor do I expect to.
Nor do I have any desire to.
So, I have begun to acquire his published works, again, (time has made them disappear), just so I can laugh again.
Richard D. Anderson
Nor do I expect to.
Nor do I have any desire to.
So, I have begun to acquire his published works, again, (time has made them disappear), just so I can laugh again.
Richard D. Anderson
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Adultery
31 Dec 2005
Format:Paperback
These are not terrific comedies about infidelity. For the long-term Woody Allen fan, they will not reveal a desire on Allen's part to explore significantly new thematic material.
For whatever reason, Allen has in recent years revived his interest in theatrical writing (many years ago he had hits with "Don't Drink The Water" and "Play it Again, Sam"; the short plays "Death" and "God" were included in his collections of New Yorker pieces). There are other (dramatic) plays that have not yet appeared in print - "The Floating Lightbulb" (circa 1980) and "A Secondhand Memory" (2004).
"Central Park West" is the least interesting of the three newer plays included in this handsome paperback. It originally appeared in 1995 on a triple bill called DEATH DEFYING ACTS with one-acts by David Mamet and Elaine May. It anticipates a love-quadrangle scenario Allen would explore more effectively in his film "Deconstructing Harry" (1997) - that of a man leaving his wife not for his long-term mistress but for another, much younger, woman. Of course, the mistress initially thinks she is the one with whom the husband will be running away.
The play is, I guess, meant to be a kind of satire of rich New Yorkers. It doesn't really come off. One must resist temptation to seize upon this line and turn it against its creator -
"You're a failed writer, Howard - judging from the characters you create you shouldn't even be a writer - you should be in the cardboard business."
(For a laugh, and an insight into the pains of a director who must deal with the whims of three playwrights, check out the diary of the director that was published in the New Yorker in 1996.)
WRITER'S BLOCK was presented as a double-bill directed by Allen in 2003. "Riverside Drive", the best play in the book, focuses on a cheating writer who, while waiting to meet his soon-to-be ex-mistress in a secluded spot by the Hudson, is harrassed by a mentally unstable homeless writer. The action goes on to revisit shades of the Martin Landau plot of 'Crimes and Misdemeanors'.
"Old Saybrook" is similiar to "Central Park West" albeit with a post-modern twist. Halfway through this play about cheating couples in Connecticut, we discover these characters are actually characters from an abandoned play by a playwright named Max Krolian ("It's dark in the drawer," explains one character). Krolian joins in on the action to try to figure out an ending to the play.
For whatever reason, Allen has in recent years revived his interest in theatrical writing (many years ago he had hits with "Don't Drink The Water" and "Play it Again, Sam"; the short plays "Death" and "God" were included in his collections of New Yorker pieces). There are other (dramatic) plays that have not yet appeared in print - "The Floating Lightbulb" (circa 1980) and "A Secondhand Memory" (2004).
"Central Park West" is the least interesting of the three newer plays included in this handsome paperback. It originally appeared in 1995 on a triple bill called DEATH DEFYING ACTS with one-acts by David Mamet and Elaine May. It anticipates a love-quadrangle scenario Allen would explore more effectively in his film "Deconstructing Harry" (1997) - that of a man leaving his wife not for his long-term mistress but for another, much younger, woman. Of course, the mistress initially thinks she is the one with whom the husband will be running away.
The play is, I guess, meant to be a kind of satire of rich New Yorkers. It doesn't really come off. One must resist temptation to seize upon this line and turn it against its creator -
"You're a failed writer, Howard - judging from the characters you create you shouldn't even be a writer - you should be in the cardboard business."
(For a laugh, and an insight into the pains of a director who must deal with the whims of three playwrights, check out the diary of the director that was published in the New Yorker in 1996.)
WRITER'S BLOCK was presented as a double-bill directed by Allen in 2003. "Riverside Drive", the best play in the book, focuses on a cheating writer who, while waiting to meet his soon-to-be ex-mistress in a secluded spot by the Hudson, is harrassed by a mentally unstable homeless writer. The action goes on to revisit shades of the Martin Landau plot of 'Crimes and Misdemeanors'.
"Old Saybrook" is similiar to "Central Park West" albeit with a post-modern twist. Halfway through this play about cheating couples in Connecticut, we discover these characters are actually characters from an abandoned play by a playwright named Max Krolian ("It's dark in the drawer," explains one character). Krolian joins in on the action to try to figure out an ending to the play.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
I like Woody's Movies, but...
13 April 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I like a few of Woody Allen's movies so I thought I would like his plays as well. Not so fast. It took forever to finish but I didn't want to just stop, I like Woody for his movies and for who he is. I read the book while waiting at Doctor's offices or waiting for this and that. I read Riverside Drive on Amazon sample and bought the book.
Riverside drive was sort of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, yet not as interesting. I predicted the outcome early on.
Old Saybrook was aggravating. A pair of strangers stop by to look at their old house, get invited for BBQ and it gets weirder as you go.
Central Park West was crazy and now I know what these plays were about, really. They are about the life of affluent New Yorkers by an affluent New Yorker and their society which looks great until you put on your glasses.
Riverside drive was sort of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, yet not as interesting. I predicted the outcome early on.
Old Saybrook was aggravating. A pair of strangers stop by to look at their old house, get invited for BBQ and it gets weirder as you go.
Central Park West was crazy and now I know what these plays were about, really. They are about the life of affluent New Yorkers by an affluent New Yorker and their society which looks great until you put on your glasses.
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