Robert M. (shotokanchef) reviewed 3 Plays About Business in America: The Adding Machine, Beggar on Horseback, All My Sons (Pocket Books 47878) on + 813 more book reviews
Beggar On Horseback
This is one of their early collaborations. An almost down-and-out composer is pushed into proposing to a rich girl. Of course, he is in love with the girl across the hall, but, after some early chuckles, he proposes anyway. Much of this first part (they did not designate acts) is taken up with a sort of group stream of consciousness during which everyone talks over everyone else. Now comes an extended (over half of the play) dream sequencemore like a nightmarein which he finds himself married to rich girls family, murders them, and is put on trial. This is like trying to listen to the radio version of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. He finally awakens and the whole mess is rectified. He gets the girl from across the hall. Finis. This had to be a producers nightmare in 1924: 29 character roles, an uncountable number of walk-on parts with multiple costume changes, multiple scenery changes, and music; not to mention the difficulties of controlling the many simultaneous orations by several actors in several settings.
All My Sons
Although written in 1947 in the aftermath of World War II, the basic theme of corporate greed and malfeasance is still appropriate: to wit the multiple scandals emanating from contracting for the Iraqi wars. Unfortunately, the play is protracted through endless useless dialog (although some of the early scenes do contain a tad of wit). There are a few letdowns to justice; Miller builds our hopes only to thrash them in the end. Nevertheless, read this for its basic theme of greed.
The Adding Machine
Dont bother! I find it difficult to accept that even an academic could like, let along read, this tripe. But, I suppose the symbolism of naming the characters Mr. and Mrs. Zero through Six gives rise to the title, or vice versa. And, of course, the adding machine, that futuristic automation that displaces workers, is symbolic, as is Vonneguts Player Piano. Anyway, death to the capitalist!
This is one of their early collaborations. An almost down-and-out composer is pushed into proposing to a rich girl. Of course, he is in love with the girl across the hall, but, after some early chuckles, he proposes anyway. Much of this first part (they did not designate acts) is taken up with a sort of group stream of consciousness during which everyone talks over everyone else. Now comes an extended (over half of the play) dream sequencemore like a nightmarein which he finds himself married to rich girls family, murders them, and is put on trial. This is like trying to listen to the radio version of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. He finally awakens and the whole mess is rectified. He gets the girl from across the hall. Finis. This had to be a producers nightmare in 1924: 29 character roles, an uncountable number of walk-on parts with multiple costume changes, multiple scenery changes, and music; not to mention the difficulties of controlling the many simultaneous orations by several actors in several settings.
All My Sons
Although written in 1947 in the aftermath of World War II, the basic theme of corporate greed and malfeasance is still appropriate: to wit the multiple scandals emanating from contracting for the Iraqi wars. Unfortunately, the play is protracted through endless useless dialog (although some of the early scenes do contain a tad of wit). There are a few letdowns to justice; Miller builds our hopes only to thrash them in the end. Nevertheless, read this for its basic theme of greed.
The Adding Machine
Dont bother! I find it difficult to accept that even an academic could like, let along read, this tripe. But, I suppose the symbolism of naming the characters Mr. and Mrs. Zero through Six gives rise to the title, or vice versa. And, of course, the adding machine, that futuristic automation that displaces workers, is symbolic, as is Vonneguts Player Piano. Anyway, death to the capitalist!
