Blood on the Stage, 1950-1975
Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection
By (author) Amnon Kabatchnik
Publication date:
14 April 2011Length of book:
704 pagesPublisher
Scarecrow PressISBN-13: 9780810877832
Arranged in chronological order, the productions cited are all works of enduring importance, pioneering contributions, singular innovations, and outstanding success. Many of the most notable playwrights of the era are represented, including Horton Foote, Bertolt Brecht, Arthur Miller, Frederick Knott, Joe Orton, Anthony Shaffer, Peter Shaffer, and Agatha Christie. Each of the plays featured revolves around murder, theft, chicanery, kidnapping, political intrigue, or espionage. Each entry includes a plot synopsis, production data, and the opinions of well known and respected critics and scholars.
The plays in this era include psychological thrillers and baffling whodunits, among them such memorable works as Anastasia, Dial 'M' for Murder, The Mousetrap, The Crucible, Witness for the Prosecution, The Desperate Hours, Sleuth, and Equus.
This third entry in the retired Stanford theater professor’s “Blood on the Stage” series is preceded by volumes on 1900–1925 and 1925–1950 (Scarecrow, 2008 and 2009, respectively). Not intended as an anthology, this is a chronological guide to notable plays from the period. Along with a plot synopsis, Kabatchnik gives a brief history of the play, including interesting circumstances of its creation, its critical reception, its later performances and film adaptations, and a biography of the playwright(s). His definition of “plays of crime, mystery, and detection” is surprisingly broad, listing obvious choices—mysteries such as Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (1952) and courtroom dramas like Meyer Levin’s Compulsion (1957)—but also two adaptations of Dracula, musicals (Lionel Bart’s 1960 Oliver!), and “literary” works (Arthur Miller’s 1953 The Crucible). The book’s wide scope and context make it useful for research; its clear and straightforward writing engaging for casual perusal. The entries are concise enough to browse easily, and the variety offers up surprises that a simple Internet search might miss.