: Luigi Pirandello
: Six Characters in Search of an Author Full Text and Introduction (NHB Drama Classics)
: Nick Hern Books
: 9781780011448
: NHB Drama Classi
: 1
: CHF 6.20
:
: Dramatik
: English
: 128
: Wasserzeichen
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Drama Classics: The World's Great Plays at a Great Little Price Luigi Pirandello's 1921 play about the nature of theatre and the problems of theatricality, in which six characters, whose author has abandoned them mid-process, turn up at a rehearsal and demand to be played by the actors present in order to resolve their tragedy and become'real'. This edition of Six Characters in Search of an Author, in the Nick Hern Books Drama Classics series, is translated and introduced by Stephen Mulrine.

Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer, winner of the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature. His plays include Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921).

SIX CHARACTERS
IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR

The action takes place during the daytime, on the stage of a theatre. There are no act or scene divisions, but the performance is interrupted twice, on the first occasion without lowering the curtain, when the DIRECTORand the leading character, i.e. the FATHER,withdraw to rough out the scenario, and the ACTORSleave the stage; on the second occasion, when the TECHNICIANlowers the curtain by mistake.

The audience enters the theatre to find the curtain already raised, and the stage looking as it does during the day, with no wings or scenery, almost completely dark and empty, so that they have the impression of an impromptu performance from the outset.

Two small flights of steps, one at right, the other at left, serve to connect the stage with the auditorium. On the stage, the cover of the prompt-box has been removed, and stands to one side. Downstage at the other side, stand a small table and a chair with its back to the audience, for the DIRECTOR.Two more tables, one larger, one smaller, and several chairs, are also downstage, ready for the rehearsal, if required. There are other chairs, scattered around left and right, for the ACTORS.Upstage to one side is a piano, partly hidden.

When the house lights go down, the TECHNICIANenters from the upstage door in dark blue overalls with a tool-bag hung from his belt; from a corner upstage he gathers a few planks, takes them downstage, and kneels down to begin nailing them together. While the hammering is going on, the STAGE MANAGERrushes in, through the door leading to the dressing-rooms.

STAGE MANAGER. Hey! What are you doing?

TECHNICIAN. What d’you think I’m doing? I’m knocking in nails.

STAGE MANAGER. At this time? (Looks at his watch.) It’s half-past ten already. The director’ll be here any minute for the rehearsal.

TECHNICIAN. Look, I’ve got to have time to domy work as well!

STAGE MANAGER. Well, you can have it, but not now.

TECHNICIAN. All right, when?

STAGE MANAGER. When we’re finished rehearsing. Now come on, clear all this out of the way and let me set up the stage for Act Two ofRules of the Game.

The TECHNICIAN,breathing heavily and muttering, picks up the planks and goes off. Meanwhile, the ACTORSof the company, male and female, begin to drift in through the stage door, in ones and twos, random-fashion – nine or ten, presumably as many as are required for the rehearsal of Pirandello’s play The Rules of the Game,scheduled for that day. They enter, greet the STAGE MANAGER,and exchange pleasantries. Some make their way to the dressing-rooms; others, including the PROMPTER,who carries a rolled-up copy of the script under his arm, hang around the stage, waitin