Tom Stoppard’s Plays

In Tom Stoppard’s Plays: Patterns of Plenitude and Parsimony Nigel Purse offers a unique appraisal, on a thematic basis, of all Stoppard’s plays by identifying key patterns and uncovering at the heart of Stoppard’s theatrical plenitude the principle of parsimony.

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In Tom Stoppard’s Plays: Patterns of Plenitude and Parsimony Nigel Purse assesses the complete canon of Tom Stoppard’s works on a thematic basis. He explains that, amongst the plenitude of chaotic comedy, wordplay and intellectual ping-pong of Stoppard’s plays, the principle of parsimony that is Occam’s razor lies at the heart of his works. He identifies key patterns in theme – ethics and duality - and method – Stoppard’s stage debates and his dramatic vehicles - as well as in theatrical devices.

Quoting extensively from all Stoppard’s published works, many of his interviews and also unpublished material Nigel Purse arrives at a comprehensive and unique appraisal of Stoppard’s plays.