Hey guys, I just finished reading all 5 plays by Tracy Letts (3 of them great, 2 mediocre). Now I need some new scripts to read before my classes start. I have Sons of the Prophet and The Lyons on pre-order. I really enjoy thrillers/mysteries ( Bug; and Deathtrap ) but I do e njoy a good comedy. Thanks guys!
If you like thrillers/comedies, you MUST read THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE.
My other recent favorites:
THE CLEAN HOUSE CORAM BOY AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY SPIRIT CONTROL THE MOTHERF*CKER WITH THE HAT JERUSALEM GOOD PEOPLE OTHER DESERT CITIES SONS OF THE PROPHET
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
Extremities by William Mastrosimone short read but very good fefu and her friends by María Irene Fornés has some good myster in it Blood Wedding translated from spanish by Federico García Lorca has great plot twists as well
Not a thriller (though well plotted with a helluva story), but one of the best comedies I've read in a decade is BECKY SHAW by Gina Gionfriddo. Absolutely funny on the page, fresh, and smart as hell.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
Did you ever read Autobahn by Neil LaBute? It's a collection of one acts. Some of those are really effective thrillers and most of them have a dark sense of humor.
I'd suggest anything by Christopher Durang. All his plays/scenes are amazing examples of black comedy at its finest.
I also suggest Wait Until Dark by Fredrick Knott if you haven't all ready read it. (You might want to see the movie first though if you really want to be shocked. Some things in the play don't come across as suspenseful or frightening when you're just reading the play.)
Another good one to read is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which is coming back on Broadway this fall. It's not really suspenseful in the conventional sense, but it can be considered very intense simply by the way all the characters interact with one another (the whole thing is basically a screaming match).
I heard God of Carnage is also very good and similar to Who's Afraid... but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
For comedy, I'd definitely suggest my favorite play I've read (I haven't read many): Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead. It's really really great play and really shows what goes on in high schools nowadays. It's very explicit but it's nothing everyone hasn't heard on TV.
Thanks guys! I recentley put in an order for some new ones! Not all that were suggested were ordered but I will deffinetley get them soon! I got Sperch & Debate, Lieutenant of Inishmore, Dog Sees God, Shining City, The Pillowman, Rabbit Hole, and Deathtrap! On Amazon they are all like 8 dollars ! Great price for these! The suggestions are great! I usually order 5 or 6 in a bunch every couple of months. Thanks guys