Edward Albee and absurdism / / edited by Michael Y. Bennett.

• TeilnehmendeR: Bennett, Michael Y., 1980-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, 2017.
• Year of Publication: 2017
• Language: English
• Series: New Perspectives in Edward Albee Studies 1.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.

In Edward Albee and Absurdism —the inaugural volume in the new book series, New Perspectives in Edward Albee Studies —Michael Y. Bennett has assembled an outstanding team of Edward Albee scholars to address Albee’s affiliation with Martin Esslin’s label, “Theatre of the Absurd,” examining whether or not this label is appropriate. From scholarly essays and lengthy review-essays to an important interview with the noted playwright and director, Emily Mann, the aim of this collection is to, at last, directly (and indirectly) confront Esslin’s label in regards to Albee’s plays in order to create a scholarly atmosphere that allows future Albee scholars to move on to new and, frankly, more relevant lines of inquiry. Contributors are: Michael Y. Bennett, Linda Ben-Zvi, David A. Crespy, Colin Enriquez, Lincoln Konkle, David Marcia, Dena Marks, Brenda Murphy, Tony Jason Stafford, and Kevin J Wetmore Jr.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / Michael Y. Bennett -- Editor’s Introduction: Albee –ism(s) / Michael Y. Bennett -- The Absurdity of Mimesis: A History of Absurdist Criticism Related to the Plays of Edward Albee / David Marcia -- An Absurd Association: Re-viewing Edward Albee’s Eclectic Sixties / Dena Marks -- Edward Albee and the Pastoral Tradition / Tony Jason Stafford -- The Label, or How Should We Classify Edward Albee?: Some Notes toward a Definition of Albee as Postmodern / Lincoln Konkle -- “Coming Back a Short Distance Correctly”: Albee’s Absurdist Adventures in Berlin, Moscow, and Vienna / David A. Crespy -- “You Should Terrify Them”: Absurd(?) Violence in Edward Albee and Adrienne Kennedy / Colin Enriquez -- Who’s Afraid of the Catholic Church?: Pre-vatican II Roman Catholicism in Two Early Plays by Albee / Kevin J. Wetmore -- Who is Sylvia?: Anthropomorphism and Genre Expectations / Brenda Murphy -- Interview: The “Composer” and the “Conductor”: An Interview with Director and Playwright Emily Mann on Working with Albee / Linda Ben-Zvi -- Bibliography / Michael Y. Bennett -- Index / Michael Y. Bennett.