Play Book Tag discussion

I was excited about reading Shadowplay which promised to be very evocative and atmospheric, with shades of Dracula and Jack the Ripper. As I read it I felt those elements were almost a distraction and didn't blend easily with the rest of the story.

While this book is about Stoker, Henry Irving and the Lyceum theatre over powers. What stands out in Shadowplay are the wonderful characters and interactions which really come to life. Henry Irving is a great actor of late 19th century England, who owned the Lyceum Theater. He conned Stoker into coming to London from Ireland to be his secretary. Stoker imagined that as his secretary he would have plenty of time to write his own work, but upon arriving he found that he was given the herculean task of renovating, opening and managing the Lyceum Theater.

The theater itself is intriguing. There are plenty of characters who work in and around the theatre to catch your attention. Here is a wonderful bit with Ellen Terry (Ophelia to Irving's Hamlet) and Oscar Wilde:


“That is why England shall strangle me, Miss Terry. In Ireland, having charm is seen as an accomplishment. Here, it is a shame on the family, like an idiot cousin.” “Pish, Oscar, old thing,” said Irving, “you are a little too hard on us. We exported our language to you primitives, after all.” “Indeed you did, darling. Now we can say ‘starvation’ in English.” “Now, Oscar, you are naughty, but there is a time and a place. Let us not waste the rare pleasure of your visit on a battle of wits.” “Yes, I shouldn’t like to fight a battle with an unarmed man.”

I am certainly glad to have finished this book and would recommend it.

I'm glad to see a positive review. I like your quote a lot better than the one I found. It's the kind of prose I expected to find in Hamnet.

When I searched for "raven" I found the following lines. I can't tell if I'll find the book delightful or exhausting.

Above him is evensong. Tantum Ergo, Amen. Down here the reek of chalk and rotted coffin. A ghoul the height of the capstone clambers wearily from his box, hair floor-long, raven’s nest in his ribcage, patches of ragged chainmail dangling from his femur as he dons the shield he was wearing at the siege of Jerusalem and bawls for the other mercenaries to fall in.

NancyJ wrote: "I'm glad to see a positive review. I like your quote a lot better than the one I found. It's the kind of prose I expected to find in Hamnet.

When I searched for "raven" I found the following line..."

I really liked the characters and the theater setting. I think Ellen Terry was a great character.