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Plays: "Ivanov", "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya", "Three Sisters", "The Cherry Orchard" (Penguin Classics)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: A.P. Chekhov

July 25, 2002
For anyone who doesn't know Chekhov, I recommend you get acquainted with his work immediately. His short stories are superb, and his five plays are masterpieces of theatre. It is such a shame that he died when he was only 44 - like Mozart, you really wonder what on earth he would have produced by the time he was 60.

As always with Chekhov, I am amazed at the fact he is able to create tension and high drama from absolutely nothing - boredom, loss of zest for life, inability to move on, hopeless incompetence, arrogance, etc etc. Characters are absolutely pared down to the minimum necessary to dissect a psychological state, atmosphere, general state of affairs etc., and the language is an exercise in economy - it functions only as ... Read More:

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Gibson Les Paul Manual: How to Buy, Maintain and Set Up the Legendary Les Paul Electric Guitar

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Paul Balmer

September 18, 2008
I am very proud to have my 1977 les paul deluxe featured in this manual.I have yet to seen the finished book,but if it is anything like the stratocaster manual,it will be stunning!

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Tales from the Back Green

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Bill Paterson

August 07, 2008
Read by Bill,with a warmth that will captivate you from the first sentence, this enchanting CD [or book]is irresistible and many years in the coming. I used to work for BBC Scotland and in the hours that followed the radio broadcast of Bill's stories, we were flooded with calls from listeners desperate to purchase them in a book, or on CD. Not lost in detail, Bill's tales can understood and enjoyed by all members of the family, and should be. Enjoy but pace yourself, if you can!

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Anthology of Drama

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: William B. Worthen

August 23, 2003
Read by Bill,with a warmth that will captivate you from the first sentence, this enchanting CD [or book]is irresistible and many years in the coming. I used to work for BBC Scotland and in the hours that followed the radio broadcast of Bill's stories, we were flooded with calls from listeners desperate to purchase them in a book, or on CD. Not lost in detail, Bill's tales can understood and enjoyed by all members of the family, and should be. Enjoy but pace yourself, if you can!

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Games for Actors and Non-actors

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Augusto Boal

August 22, 2002
In all honesty I bought this book as it was on the book list for my drama degree not because it interested me. But as I am reading it I am finding that it is not only easy to read but it is actually enjoyable too! It is very east to sit and read a chapter without having to re-read over every paragraph because you have forgotten what you have just read! I would recommend this book to anyone who is working in schools or with the community as it has a lot of insight and many simple but effective games and ideas.

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Bit of a Blur

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Alex James

July 03, 2008
I bought this book hoping for an intelligent incite into the evolution of Blur that resulted in the last 3 records (my personal favorite), but instead I found myself sifting through pages and pages of tales from the Groucho or Browns or Claridges or wherever James had decided to waste his money that year.
What I found hardest to swallow was the sense of delight and pride he took in describing his cliched rock and roll antics (hopefully I'm not just jealous!)

I think what summed James was when he mentioned that as far side projects go, he made a football chant called Vindaloo and Damon Albarn came up with the Gorillaz. Says it all really.

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Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Christopher Vogler

December 01, 2007
The writer's journey is a must-read for whoever wants to write a story for any kind of media. Differently from a Syd Field's book, which is more focused on just the screenplay form(and which i recommend too), the writer's journey explores many archetypical elements that are found in any story.
There are also questions to answer throughout the book that will allow you to solve problems or stregthen you story and make it more complete.

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Theory/Theatre: An Introduction

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Mark Fortier

May 09, 2002
As an introduction to theatre theory this book is a pleasure to read, and what's more - it is understandable! So many authors of these type of books write with their head in the clouds, flexing their vocabulary muscles so much that it becomes a bore to read. No so with this. It is a well focused down to earth book that gets to the point. Well recommended.

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Look Who it Is!: My Story

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: Alan Carr

October 01, 2008
My partner wouldn't let me read this in bed because I was laughing so much. Waking the whole house, really.

He's a gem, Alan. So many strange and wonderful stories--I'm surprised he's so normal. And the picture sections are some of the best bits. Loved it.

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Look Back in Anger (Faber plays)

Childrens Toy Shop > Books > Music- Stage and Screen
by: John Osborne

November 06, 1978
Look back in Anger is not only a classic of the British theatre, it also had reverbatory effects around the world upon its release in the 1950s. The play features some of the most vivious confrontations and acidic language I have ever read, and is ideal material for male and female monologues. Jimmy, the protagonist, has perplexed audiences and directors alike - how can any woman stand to live with him, let alone be drawn back to him after seemingly 'escaping'? But that is the lure of Jimmy's character - his sheer charisma. He is a James Dean for the English middle-classes, without the stunning looks, but with more reasons to rebel. The imagery of the play is at once subtle and exciting: Osborne is a master at creating visual and audio contradictions. In LOOK BACK ... Read More: