Deathtraps: The Postmodern Comedy Thriller

By Marvin A. Carlson

Book Overview

"This is an extremely intelligent, interesting, and well written book." --Murder Is Academic ..". compelling analysis of the comedy thriller... " --Theatre Studies ..". almost as much fun to read as is seeing the actual plays discussed... " --Journal of Popular Culture The phenomenal success of such plays as Deathtrap and Sleuth heralded the advent of a new form of detective play--the comedy thriller. Carlson takes the wraps off the comedy thriller and reveals its postmodern effects. He looks at all the elements of the thriller--openings, settings, characters, plot lines, the role of the audience, and endings--and shows how they work to overturn the conventions of realism in detective drama.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253208262
• ISBN13: 9780253208262
• Release Date: August 1993
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.5"