Solo

Ian C. Nelson is assistant director of libraries at the University of
Saskatchewan and président, La Troupe du Jour, Regina Summer Stage.

This anthology makes accessible a dozen remarkably varied solo dramatic
pieces in a small paperback volume. The most famous, and doubtless most
widely produced, is Michel Tremblay’s La duchess de Langeais. But one
also finds both obscure writers and playwrights of considerable profile
(such as Linda Griffiths, Robin Fulford, and Judith
Thompson)—represented albeit with pieces that are considerably less
well-known. The production notes at the end of the volume give some idea
of the variety of venues that have welcomed these extremely diverse solo
voices. The book, cover tries to characterize the selections as
“intoxicating hybrids of theatre and fiction.” Unfortunately,
Sherman dodges his duty as an editor by giving little indication of why
he chose this particular mix of authors and pieces. The notes on the
contributors are skimpy.