The Life of the Drama
Worth buying if: You follow Eric Bentley’s criticism and want his take on playwrights and productions.
Skip it if: You want a how-to stagecraft manual focused on technical theater techniques.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9781557831101. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
If this page helped you decide, purchasing through the Amazon button above supports UPB Books at no extra cost to you and helps us continue improving the site. Thanks for visiting today.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Affiliate disclosure: purchases made through links on this site may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Summary
In this 384-page Hal Leonard volume, critic Eric Bentley maps theatre’s forms, from script to performance, blending close readings of plays with reflections on directors, actors, and audiences across modern drama.
Why this book now
Bentley’s longtime perspective on playwriting and production feels timely for readers revisiting modern drama and staging choices in contemporary theatre programs.
30-second preview
Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.
Card 1 of 2
Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You follow Eric Bentley’s criticism and want his take on playwrights and productions.
- You study modern drama and appreciate close readings of scripts, performances, and directors.
- You want a how-to stagecraft manual focused on technical theater techniques.
- You expect a short survey under 200 pages or a rapid primer for newcomers.
- You need the newest edition, freshest examples, or the most current framing.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9781557831101
Worth buying if: You follow Eric Bentley’s criticism and want his take on playwrights and productions.
Skip it if: You want a how-to stagecraft manual focused on technical theater techniques.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Steady Needs some room
At roughly 384 pages, expect a steady, essay-driven read suitable for leisurely study across several weeks or as a course-text companion.
What stands out here
This Hal Leonard edition collects Bentley’s detailed essays and criticism, emphasizing his voice as a skeptical, historically informed theatre commentator.
Best way to approach it
Approach chapter by chapter: pause for the playwright analyses and cross-reference productions or plays Bentley cites to enrich context.
Was this page helpful?
Quick thumbs only. No login.
Loading feedback…
Exact edition: ISBN-13 9781557831101
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.