The Theatre of Tom Stoppard by Anthony Jenkins, and: Stoppard: The Playwright by Michael Billington (review)

Book Reviews 591 Bergman even incorporates some of the «deletions made by Strindberg in the original holograph manuscript of the play" (p. 32). An ugly scar. inflicted by lulie's late fiance, disfigures one cheek. The scar even begins to bleed after the sexual encounter between Jean and Julie. Julie is defeated in this play. The victory appears to be Jean'5 . But then, at the very end, there is the stunning reversal: Jean cowers at the sound of the count's bell; Julie, as Bergman's stage direction indicates, smiles calmly, walks flIIDly up the steps, and exits through the glass doors (p. 147). Somehow the victory at the end becomes hers; she realizes that "the last," which she now is, may be "first." Scenes from a Marriage is a stage adaptation of Bergman's film. The "scenes" are arranged so as to concentrate narrowly and deeply on the psychological struggle of the married couple, lohan and Marianne. All other characters from the film are eliminated, except for Mrs. Palm, interviewer from a women's magazine in the first "scene". Mrs. Palm sits in the audience, and when she leaves after the interview, the audience remains engaged and is directly addressed in the "[nterludes" between the scenes. There is, as the Markers note, the riveting effect ofthe short, matter-of-fact statement after the "botched and painfully dishonest discussion of the 'problem' represented by the child" (p. 41): ''Two weeks later, Marianne underwent a small operation" (p. 172). Much more might be said about each ofthe plays. But we should let the book speak for itself. The plays are there; the "Conversation with Bergman" and "The Commentary on the Bergman Project" are there. It is interesting, exciting reading. We may disagree with Bergman's theatrical tactics, but no one can gainsay that they are creative and effective in doing what he wants to do. And in the Markers' book we arc present with Bergman in his dramatic problems and concerns. We are also present with him in his artistic victories. I, farone, have been dubious about deconstructing dramatic texts. But, while it could be argued that he is doing this in the adaptation of A Doll's House, for example, my experience reading Bergman's text and seeing that text corne alive in the summer of 1987 at Stratford, Ontario, convinced me that this, indeed, is the ding an sieh, [bsen's play in itself. What is achieved is a higher (or deeper) naturalism. [ was one of those "fools, who came to scoff," but "remained to pray." For this I am profoundly grateful to the Markers. Indeed, I am convinced enough to think that any reader of the book will share my gratitude. CHARLES LELAND, ST. MICHAEL'S COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ANTHONY JENKINS: The Theatre ofTom Stoppard. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press t987. pp. xii, 189· £17·50. MICHAEL BILLINGTON: Stoppard: The Playwright. London: Methuen 1987. Pp. 188, illustrated. £9.95. Fortunately, these two books are written by theatre practitioners, which is appropriate to a dramatist who views his plays more as events than texts. Jenkins is an actor, director, 592 Book Reviews and Canadian university teacher; Billington has been the drama critic of The Guardian newspaper since 1971 . Both books are interested in how Stoppard's plays work in the theatre and both go through the plays chronologically, unaware it seems, of Richard Corballis's boldly schematic book. But the two do diverge. Billington emphasizes what he sees as Stoppard's move towards commitment and human feeling; Jenkins writes: "Stoppard's career seems to me to be all of a piece. Though his style has become more reticent and his statements more direct, he continues to exploit the play in plays" (p. xi). So Jenkins is "focusing on the texts as theatrical games" written by the modem theatre's Umost adroit manipulator of stage pictures" (pp. xi, ix). Whereas Billington ends: "Stoppard is still an entertainer; but he is an entertainer with a definable ideal" (p. 180). In Rosencrantz Jenkins sees "very human bewilderment and terror ... It is this humanity which interests me in Stoppard and it appears much earlier than most commentators allow" - a point he substantiates...