Edward Albee A Critical Introduction

Edward Albee (1928?2016) was a central figure in modern American theatre, and his bold and often experimental theatrical style won him wide acclaim. This book explores the issues, public and private, that so influenced Albee's vision over five decades, from his first great success, The Zoo Story (1959), to his last play, Me, Myself, & I (2008). Matthew Roudané covers all of Albee's original works in this comprehensive, clearly structured, and up-to-date study of the playwright's life and career: in Part I, the volume explores Albee's background and the historical contexts of his work; Part II concentrates on twenty-four of his plays, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962); and Part III investigates his critical reception. Surveying Albee's relationship with Broadway, and including interviews conducted with Albee himself, this book will be of great importance for theatregoers and students seeking an accessible yet incisive introduction to this extraordinary American playwright.

Preface; Acknowledgements; Part I. Albee's Life and World: 1. Life; 2. Overview: the theater of Edward Albee; 3. Contexts; Part II. The Plays: 4. Ritualized forms of expiation; 5. Challenging Broadway; 6. 'The greatest sin in living is doing it badly – stupidly, or as if you weren't really alive'; 7. A quest for consciousness; 8. As I lay dying; 9. A theater of loss; Part III. Dialogues: 10. Critical reception; Epilogue: final curtain; Notes; Further reading; Index.

Matthew Roudané is Regents' Professor of English at Georgia State University. He has published widely on various aspects of American drama, particularly the theatre of major figures including Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee. He is editor of The Cambridge Companion to Tennessee Williams (1997) and of The Cambridge Companion to Sam Shepard (2002).