Five masterful dramatic works from one of the world's best-loved playwrights Anton Chekhov's Plays" is translated with notes by Peter Carson & an introduction by Richard Gilman in " Penguin Classics". At a time when the Russian theatre was dominated by formulaic melodramas & farces Chekhov created a new sort of drama that laid bare the everyday lives loves & yearnings of ordinary people. " Ivanov" depicts a man stifled by inactivity & lost idealism & " The Seagull" contrasts a young man's selfish romanticism with the stoicism of a woman cruelly abandoned by her lover. With 'the scenes from country life' of " Uncle Vanya" his first fully mature play Chekhov developed his own unique dramatic world neither tragedy nor comedy. In " Three Sisters" the Prozorov sisters endlessly dream of going to Moscow to escape the monotony of provincial life while his comedy " The Cherry Orchard" portrays characters futilely clinging to the past as their land is sold from underneath them. Peter Carson's moving translations convey Chekhov's subtle blend of comedy tragedy & psychological insight. In his introduction Richard Gilman examines how Chekhov broke with theatrical conventions & discusses each play in detail. Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was born in Taganrog a port on the sea of Azov. In 1879 he travelled to Moscow where he entered the medical faculty of the university graduating in 1884. During his university years he supported his family by contributing humorous stories & sketches to magazines. He published his first volume of stories " Motley Tales" in 1886 & a year later his second volume " In the Twilight" for which he received the Pushkin Prize. Today his plays including " Uncle Vanya" " The Seagull" & " The Cherry Orchard" are recognised as masterpieces the world over. If you enjoyed " Plays" you might like Chekhov's " The Shooting Party" also available in " Penguin Classics"." ...

Anton Chekhov's popularity in the west is without parallel for a foreign writer. He has been absorbed into our culture & accepted as one of our own. His plays lend themselves easily to the stage calling for actors with intelligence & common sense rather than a dramatic voice or histrionic skills. He takes from everyday life themes of frustration which apply to us all
- the difficulty of carving out a happy existence the problems of love the fading of hope the universal feeling that time passes & we never quite get things right. This seems pessimistic & yet Chekhov claimed he was writing comedy. Readers actors & directors must decide for themselves which way to play these pieces. They are full of sadness but a sadness described as the 'darkness of the last hour before the dawn'. Whether tragic or comic however they are works of the first importance. The Cherry Orchard has been described as 'the best play since Shakespeare' Three Sisters as 'the best play in the world'.
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Menander (c. 341 291 BC) was the foremost innovator of Greek New Comedy a dramatic style that moved away from the fantastical to focus upon the problems of ordinary Athenians. This collection contains the full text of Old Cantankerous (Dyskolos) the only surviving complete example of New Comedy as well as fragments from works including The Girl from Samos & The Rape of the Locks all of which are concerned with domestic catastrophes the hazards of love & the trials of family life. Written in a poetic style regarded by the ancients as second only to Homer these polished works profoundly influential upon both Roman playwrights such as Plautus & Terence & the wider Western tradition may be regarded as the first true comedies of manners. ...

Oscar Wilde took London by storm with his first comedy Lady Windermere's Fan. The combination of dazzling wit subtle social criticism sumptuous settings & the theme of a guilty secret proved a winner both here & in his next three plays A Woman of No Importance An Ideal Husband & his undisputed masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest. This volume

Includes:: all Wilde's plays from his early tragedy Vera to the controversial Salome & the little known fragments La Sainte Courtisane & A Florentine Tragedy. The edition affords a rare chance to see Wilde's best known work in the context of his entire dramatic output & to appreciate plays which have hitherto received scant critical attention.

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Teach your baby all about playtime with touch & feel textures. Stroke tickle & touch the textures together with your baby & help them discover all about playtime. Let their little hands roam & feel how cuddly the teddies are but how shiny & smooth the toy train feels. Theyll learn as you play. Twinkly bumpy scaly silky sandy sticky & shiny textures in a chunky package: perfect for encouraging tiny fingers to explore & tiny minds to develop. ...

Part of the pleasure of owning a dog is the mutual fun that results from the playing of games. However these games also have a role in the development & well-being of our four-legged friends not least of which is building up our dogs' self confidence & boosting our relationships. With very little financial outlay & no previous experience any dog owner whether the dog be a puppy or an older animal can invent games using household objects. The purpose of this book is to help you discover & employ games & activities on an everyday basis that both you & your dog will enjoy & that will contribute towards his fitness & training. Amongst many other ideas you will: marvel at the super-abilities of your dog's sense of smell; make his daily walks an exciting adventure; & find enough inspiration in your living room to exercise his basic play instincts. ...

This collection of forty popular action rhymes

Includes:: firm favourites such as Tinker Tailor & The Wheels

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This is the second in our Snuggle Books series
- youve met Snuggle Bunny now heres Playtime Teddy
- a cheery little bear who

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The defendant
- David Marquette. Devoted husband & father. The victims
- His own family. The plea
- Not Guilty by Reason


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A social comedy by the author of Just for the Summer". The illegal activities of unemployed teenagers on a London suburban council estate are giving cause for concern. There is also illegal activity among the residents of the desirable street nearby
- but these crimes are more socially-acceptable."
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