Writing Your First Play, Second Edition

Rating:
Summary: Playwriting by Action & Example
Review: As Director of an International Playwrights Retreat, I have had opportunity to lead workshops in playwriting world wide. I have and value a large collection of playwriting books, and have borrowed exercises from many of them. I find Roger's opening exercise one of the best to get at the essence of what theatre is about. He has the student write a scene of action - no dialogue, no plot outline or character studies - just what we can see the character doing.

The book moves swiftly on to the next essential - conflict. By now, the reader may well have become a writer, as the book progresses through character, dialogue, writing from life or from other sources, and more - all leading to completing that first play before you even realized it.

The book is full of loads of useful exercises and examples. This at once opens worlds of possibilities to the creative mind, while providing achieveable writing results - all leading to an exploration of your own stories. It provides a context, a process, useful advice and practise . . . all in a very user friendly fashion. It's a great way to get a process started.

Rating:
Summary: Playwriting by Action & Example
Review: As Director of an International Playwrights Retreat, I have had opportunity to lead workshops in playwriting world wide. I have and value a large collection of playwriting books, and have borrowed exercises from many of them. I find Roger's opening exercise one of the best to get at the essence of what theatre is about. He has the student write a scene of action - no dialogue, no plot outline or character studies - just what we can see the character doing.

The book moves swiftly on to the next essential - conflict. By now, the reader may well have become a writer, as the book progresses through character, dialogue, writing from life or from other sources, and more - all leading to completing that first play before you even realized it.

The book is full of loads of useful exercises and examples. This at once opens worlds of possibilities to the creative mind, while providing achieveable writing results - all leading to an exploration of your own stories. It provides a context, a process, useful advice and practise . . . all in a very user friendly fashion. It's a great way to get a process started.

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to the fundamentals of dramatic writing
Review: I had Dr. Hall as a professor of playwriting for two semesters. He uses this book as the text for his introductory course. The exercises and examples are an excellent place for an aspiring playwright to start.

Dr. Hall introduces the ideas of conflict, character, action, etc. one at a time, and quite intensively. Following the exercises, each of your first three plays will focus on only one aspect of drama, leading to an all-inclusive one-act play; your first play.

Although I have much respect for Dr. Hall, and enjoyed working with him for over a year, I would still have to rate this book "4 Stars." The title is a little misleading. Like I mentioned, you will not have a full-length written by the end of the book, but several short sketches and a one-act play.

Were this called "Working Up to Your First Play," I'd give it a 5.

Rating:
Summary: An OK book, helpful exercises.
Review: This book is designed as a course, with exercises to do in each chapter. However, I wish I had read some of the other writer's books I have before buying this one. This makes a good second or third book once you have something that deals more directly with the dynamics of plot and it's relationship to character and setting. Especially lacking is an discussion of how audiences react to the emotional dynamics of each scene and act. McKee's "Story" is a great place to start. But Hall's book is a good place for the relative beginner who has some experience and wants to prime the pumps with a few exercises.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!!!
Review: This book is superb for any aspiring playwright. The book is easy to comprehend and filled with wonderful exercises and examples to follow. Mr. Hall does a wonderful job of breaking down the elements of playwriting. Thumbs Up!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!!!
Review: This book is superb for any aspiring playwright. The book is easy to comprehend and filled with wonderful exercises and examples to follow. Mr. Hall does a wonderful job of breaking down the elements of playwriting. Thumbs Up!