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David Ives
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All in the Timing: Fourteen Plays Paperback – November 8, 1994

by David Ives (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 119 ratings
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The world according to David Ives is a very add place, and his plays constitute a virtual stress test of the English language -- and of the audience's capacity for disorientation and delight. Ives's characters plunge into black holes called "Philadelphias," where the simplest desires are hilariously thwarted. Chimps named Milton, Swift, and Kafka are locked in a room and made to re-create Hamlet. And a con man peddles courses in a dubious language in which "hello" translates as "velcro" and "fraud" comes out as "freud."

At once enchanting and perplexing, incisively intelligent and side-splittingly funny, this original paperback edition of Ives's plays includes "Sure Thing," "Words, Words, Words," "The Universal Language," "Variations on the Death of Trotsky," "The Philadelphia," "Long Ago and Far Away," "Foreplay, or The Art of the Fugue," "Seven Menus," "Mere Mortals," "English Made Simple," "A Singular Kinda Guy," "Speed-the-Play," "Ancient History," and "Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread."
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    November 8, 1994
  5. Dimensions
    5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780679759287
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0679759287
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Theater that aerobicizes the brain and tickles the heart...Ives is a mordant comic who has put the play back in playwright." -- Time

From the Inside Flap

cording to David Ives is a very add place, and his plays constitute a virtual stress test of the English language -- and of the audience's capacity for disorientation and delight. Ives's characters plunge into black holes called "Philadelphias," where the simplest desires are hilariously thwarted. Chimps named Milton, Swift, and Kafka are locked in a room and made to re-create Hamlet. And a con man peddles courses in a dubious language in which "hello" translates as "velcro" and "fraud" comes out as "freud."

At once enchanting and perplexing, incisively intelligent and side-splittingly funny, this original paperback edition of Ives's plays includes "Sure Thing," "Words, Words, Words," "The Universal Language," "Variations on the Death of Trotsky," "The Philadelphia," "Long Ago and Far Away," "Foreplay, or The Art of the Fugue," "Seven Menus," "Mere Mortals

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 067975928X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; First Edition (November 8, 1994)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780679759287
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679759287
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 119 ratings

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David Ives

David Ives

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
119 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Argonaut
5.0 out of 5 stars Reasonable price for the work of a current playwright
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
Ives has been around for a while, but his clever commentary, use of and fascinatio with the intricacies and quirks of language, and his unique perspective on social interaction is witty and spot on. As the title suggests, "timing is everything" in human conversation, relationships, and in life itself. With verve and humor, Ives provides an accessible peek into the wacky, often absurd, world of our daily lives, and always, as good drama should do, with a bit of a twist. Each of these one-act plays could be performed in a classroom or read, as well as being enjoyed personally. I have used some of them in my college course in required literature, half-wondering whether students would like or get what he was about. They loved it and really related to the absudist scenarios he created, so that the plays were eminently teachable in addition to being thoroughly enjoyable.
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Samantha McManus
5.0 out of 5 stars but I love this collection and I love it even more in ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
David Ives is hit or miss for me, but I love this collection and I love it even more in production. Each play stands on its own and yet they all contribute to a fascinating anthology. My favorite of the bunch is Phillip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread, because the way that Ives manipulates the language is incredible. Words Words Words is in every theatre teacher's grab bag because it is a fun examination of Shakespeare, and Sure Thing is a fast-paced social commentary.
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Elton W. Spaulding
4.0 out of 5 stars Clever, entertaining & a fun read.
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
I saw an amateur production of some of Ives' work and the work far surpassed the performances except for on piece but the material caused me to buy this book. I find him to be clever and humorous. 2 of the plays were not to my taste but on the whole really enjoyed the contents. If I had not seen "Universal Language" I would have been less than impressed but that someone had the foresight to perform this I admire because this is the one that was performed so well and it must have been difficult to see how clever the results would turn out. Recommend it for his take on things and it's a very quick read. Read 1 in your short time available or knock out the whole book in a couple of hours.
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Hannah Sevilla
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Play
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2019
Verified Purchase
I've only read All in the Timing, and I really enjoyed it. Read for a college class, and it was the first play I've ever LOL'd to. I don't remember buying this copy but I'm sure it was for a good reason? Maybe for a friend. In any case, I assume the other plays are good. So yes. Buy.
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Dawn Kidle
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2002
Verified Purchase
My current favorite playwright primarily because of his humor. It's outlandish, but not so you don't understand the underlying meaning to the plays as a whole. "Sure Thing" is one that I expect I will perform in soon. I held off directing it because I wanted to be in it so badly. I did, however, direct "Seven Menus" and it was a lot of fun. His plays are great for college productions, as well as, community plays. Anyone would have fun reading them! Not much of monologues...lots of fast paced, back-n-forth dialogue.
5 people found this helpful
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Kimberley
5.0 out of 5 stars All good
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
All good, quick delivery.
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johnm
5.0 out of 5 stars Short plays with good word play
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
Interesting writer. Short plays with good word play. And he likes bells. Clever stuff and different approach to theater
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GWCS Press (Consignment)
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2015
Verified Purchase
Great selection of shows for High School performance!
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Top reviews from other countries

Lisa B
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
Nice.
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