5 Plays You Shouldn’t Have Read
This article, despite its title, is not meant to make anyone feel bad. Many talented, passionate actors aren’t reading plays or watching them. This could be due to a variety of reasons.
1. They watched a few plays, but they were all horrible.
2. They don’t have the money.
3. They heard some terrible readings in school and were put off. (Very common)
4. Netflix is too good.
If you don’t read or watch plays regularly, it is time to start. Actors cannot refuse to read and watch plays. Even actors with no ambitions for the stage. Here are 16 plays I think you might enjoy, which may ignite your passion for acting.
#1 The Crucible (Arthur Miller).
This timeless classic is still available in print. I recommend you get a copy or a pass to see Daniel Day-Lewis in the 1996 movie version. When done well, this play will ignite your passion. This is an electrifying tale of honour, hysteria and deceit.
Side note The Crucible won the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play.
Honourable Mention: “Death of Salesman”, another of Arthur Miller’s classics, could easily have made it onto the list. Although it seems like Miller’s genius is far away, it is still very present.
#2. The Importance Of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde).
This one is a must-see. Oscar Wilde’s Importance Of Being Earnest is a comedy masterclass that has been performed on many stages all over the globe. It is also funny and easy to read. It’s too much fun not to enjoy.
#3 Hamlet (William Shakespeare)
Shakespeare was going to be on the list. It would be a terrible thing to have not read the most beloved playwright of all times, as he is one of the most well-known playwrights. It took me many years to read Hamlet. It is not an easy book and takes a lot of time. This play has some of the most beautiful lines I have ever seen. You can eat it, put aside some time and do it. If you are having trouble reading it, many good versions can be filmed.
#4 Angels in America (Tony Kushner).
This is a modern classic that every actor should know. This play is a modern classic because it has great monologues and scenes. This is one of the most moving pieces of theatre that has been created in the past 100 years. The masterpiece is divided into two parts. While the first is a must-read, the second is equally important. It’s a complicated, symbolic, and heart-wrenching symbol examination of AIDS in America in the 1980s.
#5 The Rover (Aphra Behn)
The classic play by Aphra Ben. This lively and vibrant work explores love, deceit, forced marriage, male power and fidelity themes. Aphra Behn was one of the first English women to do a living writing. Her work is a reminder of the hard work that society missed by not allowing women to write and having their work published in literary history. This play is an amazing historical resource. It’s also a fun and fascinating read.
