A Critique of Playwright Judith Thompson's "Lion in the Streets"

Book Review # 101855

Drama and Theater
Literature > Canadian

A critical review of Judith Thompson's play "Lion in the Streets".

1,150 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2008 Canada

Paper Summary:

This paper is a biting critique of Judith Thompson's play "Lion in the Streets". It praises the play's musical language and its artistically choreographed staging. At the same time, the paper criticizes the play as a series of lightly connected vignettes and Thompson's characters as being extremely emotional, yet stereotypical and flat. The paper also questions Thompson's unusual use of a double ending. To conclude, the reviewer fails to find enough redeeming qualities in the play.

From the Paper:

""Lion in the Streets" is an actor's play, a piece written to allow an actor to take his craft as raw and far down into the dirt as possible. For me, the greatest acting is seen in moments of restraint and subtlety, attributes you will find nowhere is this work. I can only imagine how Lion in the Streets would fill a theatre, leaving no room for the audience. I imagine the overall effect of the play, when performed, to be choking and to inevitably feel artistically masturbatory. Reading it left me with the distinct desire to pat Judith Thompson comfortingly on the head and tell her that "yes, we know you are dark, we know it all hurts, but we need something new". The playwright has a beautiful control of words and a complex understanding of rhythm. Her dialogue is like music, and her staging is choreographed with the intricacies of a dance. But my problem with her skill is the same problem I have with much contemporary Canadian theatre. I am tired of hearing how it hurts and am ready to explore why, and more importantly, is there redemption, or hope?"

Sample of Sources Used:

Thompson, Judith. Lion in the Streets. Toronto: Playwrights Canada Press, 1999.

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APA Citation:

A Critique of Playwright Judith Thompson's "Lion in the Streets" (2012, January 15). Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www.academon.ca/Book-Review-A-Critique-of-Playwright-Judith-Thompson's-Lion-in-the-Streets/101855

MLA Citation:

"A Critique of Playwright Judith Thompson's "Lion in the Streets"" 15 January 2012. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://www.academon.ca/Book-Review-A-Critique-of-Playwright-Judith-Thompson's-Lion-in-the-Streets/101855>