Travesties
Travesties
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1974
Book Brief
96
Play • Fiction
Zurich • 1910s
1974
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Travesties by Tom Stoppard is a comic play set in Zurich during World War I, imagining interactions between the unreliable memories of British diplomat Henry Wilfred Carr and three renowned figures—Vladimir Lenin, James Joyce, and Tristan Tzara—in a Zurich library. The play explores themes of art, politics, and historical memory, intertwining various literary and stylistic elements, including Dadaism and references to Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
Humorous
Mysterious
Playful
Informative
Fantastical
Reviews & Readership
3,233 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Tom Stoppard's Travesties dazzles with its wit and sophisticated wordplay, offering a brilliant blend of intellectual humor and historical pastiche. Critics praise its inventive narrative structure and rich intertextuality, though some find its dense references and complex themes challenging. Overall, it remains a clever and thought-provoking theatrical piece.
Who Should Read Travesties?
A reader who enjoys Travesties by Tom Stoppard likely appreciates intellectual and witty plays. They would relish in historical, literary, and political allusions. Fans of James Joyce's Ulysses or Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest would find this work appealing for its clever dialogue and intricate narrative structure.
3,233 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
96
Play • Fiction
Zurich • 1910s
1974
Adult
18+ years
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