Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921) is a metatheatrical drama
by Luigi Pirandello. Viewed as an important work of absurdist
literature, the play was a critical failure when it was first staged in
Rome. Revised by its author and bolstered by successful performances in
New York City, Six Characters in Search of an Author has been
recognized as a pioneering examination of the nature of creativity, the
relationship of the director and actors to the work of art, and the
psychological stress associated with staging a theatrical production.
While preparing to rehearse a new play by director Luigi Pirandello, a
theatre company is interrupted with the arrival of six strangers on set.
After a moment of frustration and confusion, the director is told that
they are six unfinished characters whose story cannot be told without
his intervention. The Father, Mother, Son, Stepdaughter, Boy, and Child
refuse to leave, forcing the director to convince his actors to help
them fulfill their wish. As the story begins to take shape, the
characters exert more and more control over the set and the
participation of the other actors, soon overtaking the director
entirely. Strange and compelling, Six Characters in Search of an
Author is a unique play which saw resistance from critics and
theatergoers for one reason only: its methods forced them to question
the nature of reality itself. With a beautifully designed cover and
professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Luigi Pirandello's
Six Characters in Search of an Author is a classic work of Italian
literature reimagined for modern readers.
