Happy Alchemy: Writings On the Theatre And Other Lively Arts - Hardcover

Davies, Robertson; Surridge, Jennifer; Davies, Brenda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670880191 ISBN 13: 9780670880195

Publisher: Viking, 1998

Synopsis

This strongly autobiographical collection of pieces draws on Robertson Davies's life-long passion for the theatre, opera and music; telling of his love for those rare occasions when the magical alchemy of near-perfect performance is achieved. Encompassing speeches and prologues to plays, a libretto for a children's opera and even a suggestion for a film scenario, this collection is also full of fragments from Davies' own unpublished diary.

About this title

Review:

The following passage reveals Robertson Davies' great love of the theatre, and shows that these collected pieces, numbering 33, transcend mere criticism: "For as long as I can remember, playgoing has stood first among all pleasures with me, and although to most people it is simply a pastime, I think that I have brought qualities to it which raised it above that.... I sincerely believe that I have been a good playgoer, and that is something better, perhaps, than having been a well-known critic."

One's admiration for this literary master doubles when remembering that drama was Davies' academic field and constituted one of his three successful careers (he acted with the Old Vic in England). By 1962, Davies had begun to craft his playgoing notes into the Theatre Diary--snippets of which appear in this posthumously published collection. Each of these 33 pieces, introduced by the author and followed by a diary entry or two, demonstrates Davies' enormous and diverse erudition. Included are speeches, prologues to plays, articles about the theatre and opera, a discussion of folksong, a children's opera, a story set to music and a preliminary sketch of a film script. Several personal essays shed light on his own ambitions as a playwright.

Many of these pieces were lectures, and they enjoy the immediacy and cadence of the spoken word. A spacious tone ensues; that is, complex ideas are delivered clearly, because they are intended for a listening audience. Surprisingly, this enhances the pleasure of reading them. Happy Alchemy may not appeal to the reader whose interest in theatre and opera is only occasional, but it certainly will to any ardent Robertson Davies fan who delights in the turnings of a learned and sophisticated mind. --Hollis Giammatteo

About the Author:

Robertson Davies was born in 1913 in Thamesville, Ontario and died in 1995.

He is best known for his fiction; THE SALTERTON TRILOGY, THE DEPTFORD TRILOGY, THE CORNISH TRILOGY (which includes the Booker shortlisted WHAT'S BRED IN THE BONE), MURTHER AND WALKING SPIRITS and THE CUNNING MAN.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0670880191
• ISBN 13: 9780670880195
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400