Sir Tom Stoppard, one of the UK's most celebrated playwrights, has complained that he has to dumb down his plays for modern audiences.
The writer "resents" having to "connect with an audience... on a level which is lower than you would want to connect them on".
He said: "In 1974 everybody in the audience knew who Goneril was and laughed... In about 1990 when the play was revived maybe half knew."
But how much of his plays would you be able to understand?
Not much 4/7
Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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Econoline
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Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
I got 5 right, but 4 of those were guesses. (The only one I actually knew was, of course, the Syd Barrett one...)
People who are wrong are just as sure they're right as people who are right. The only difference is, they're wrong.
— God @The Tweet of God
— God @The Tweet of God
Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
I think that one was a "given"!
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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Sue U
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Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
It's not a question of being clever, it's a question of cultural literacy (and in particular, Western culture). I rather doubt that audiences in 1974 were any more savvy than they are now, but there is an entire additional generation of culture (including Tom Stoppard references) to absorb.
6/7 (although that last one was a sheer guess).
6/7 (although that last one was a sheer guess).
GAH!
Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
6/7
I blame my university education.
I blame my university education.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
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oldr_n_wsr
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Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
Never heard of the guy.
I am not big on plays/broadway.
I am not big on plays/broadway.
Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
I love his plays - seen several and own copies - but the man is a condescending ass. I don't need to take any quiz to tell me that.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké
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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
Quizzes? We ain't got no stinkin' quizzes. We don't need no quizzes! (Cultural reference). But is an unquizzed life worth living? (another one). That is the question (#3 there). I think someone might be a little snow-crazy but she'll do fine - women have that extra layer of fat (toughest one).
I got 5 but that's only because I didn't know 2 of them. Ayckbourn wrote better plays anyway.
I got 5 but that's only because I didn't know 2 of them. Ayckbourn wrote better plays anyway.
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
Takes one to know one?Guinevere wrote:I love his plays - seen several and own copies - but the man is a condescending ass. I don't need to take any quiz to tell me that.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Re: Are you clever enough to watch a Tom Stoppard play?
6/7 for what it's worth.
As for him complaining about dumbing down his plays, you can choose to either write for the audience or to please yourself and have plays that aren't seen by many. He can choose.
As for him complaining about dumbing down his plays, you can choose to either write for the audience or to please yourself and have plays that aren't seen by many. He can choose.