One of the greatest reading experiences of my life. The meaning of sure thing by david ives sure thing by david ives is a short play about bill and betty meeting in a cafe. David ives is renowned for his seinfeldlike humor, for his ability to think what if and turn it into an astoundingly funny play. The play is about kafka, milton, and swift, three intelligent chimpanzees who are put in a cage together under the experimenting eye of a never seen dr. Right from the beginning, sure thing, by david ives, is loud and obvious. The plot of the play demonstrates to individuals that they ought to think clearly about what they say so as to improve their conversations. Sure thing included in the volume all in the timing, six oneact plays david ives. Read for a college class, and it was the first play ive ever lold to. Soap opera is a oneact comedy play by a contemporary american playwright david ives. The meaning of sure thing by david ives essay example.
It seems that the story is based on maintaining political correctness. The same is true of his work all in the timing and more specifically the scene entitled sure thing. Sure thing is a short comic play by american playwright david ives, first produced in 1988 and published in 1993. He won the 1994 outer critics circle john gassner playwriting award for the primary stages production of all in the timing, which was also nominated for a drama desk award as outstanding play. This short, one act play by david ives take a look at an interview at columbia is a fascinating springboard into drama. Ives manages to give us about sixteen variations on their journey of discovery by repeating bits of each section with alternate dialogue. Sure thing paper the play sure thing, by david ives, reveals the variations of boy, bill, meets girl, betty, and the ensuing pick up lines.
The central theme throughout the play displays multiple varieties of a possible conversation that ends with a ringing bell that symbolizes a fresh start and a second chance to make a good impression. There are only two characters though they run through some transformations during the course of the plot. The importance of setting in sure thing, a play by david ives. When analyzed in more depth, the play is actually about the struggle that exists between ones desire to be an individual and the need to conform, to a certain degree, in order to be. A fresh start and second chances as symbolized by the ringing of the bell is only one theme in this play. However, by reading it more, i could sense comedy and fantasy combined at once. Sure thing, a 10minute comedy by ives, was created in 1988. It is an amusing story about a maypole repairman manny who turns out to be desperately in love with a washing machine. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. All in the timing, six oneact comedies acting edition. In the play sure thing by david ives, how many characters were in this play. Words, words, words is a oneact play written by david ives for his collection of six oneact plays, all in the timing. All in the timing, six oneact comedies acting edition acting edition for theater productions. There is an interview with david ives moderated by poas claudia catania, following the play.
The play was first produced in 1988, and was published in 1994. Play analysis sure thing by david ivis essay example. I was so excited after ten pages that i went out and bought everything else he wrote. Jan 18, 2008 sure thing by david ives as performed by the pigeon players theatre company. It was funny, was a light read and had me transition from softly giggling to fullout laughter. May 10, 2018 all in the timing is a collection of oneact plays written by david ives. All in the timing by david ives is a collection of fourteen short plays most of which fall into the comedy category, though there are some exceptions.
This was a powerful and sharplycrafted play, perhaps the best that ive read or seen in years. In sure thing, a couple on a first date has the opportunity to reset and try again each time they say the wrong thing. The world according to david ives is a very add place, and his plays constitute a virtual stress test of the english language and of the audiences capacity for disorientation and delight. Critical analysis of the drama sure thing by david ives essay. Pdf 1 the play sure thing from david ives examines the. Ive spend so much of my life asking for the wrong thing without knowing it, doing it on purpose comes easy. In david ives play sure thing, the two characters are bill and betty. Sure thing was first presented at the manhattan punch line theatre steve kaplan, artistic director in new york city in february 1988.
Sure thing is a short comic play by david ives featuring a chance meeting of two characters, betty and bill, whose conversation is continually reset by the use of a ringing bell, starting over when one of them responds negatively to the other. Ives manages to give us about sixteen variations on their journey of discovery by repeating bits of each. Sure thing essays are academic essays for citation. Maybe i was in a philadelphia all along and never new it. Two people meet in a cafe and find their way through a conversational minefield as.
Reread it quite a number of times throughout the past week just to relieve myself of the days burdens and challenges. Two things that stand out in this play are the lack of any kind of stage direction, including emotional direction, and the insights into the male mind. Ives chief tool in all six of these comic short plays. Sure thing by david ives film adaptation hd youtube. The paper contains a critical analysis of the drama sure thing by david ives. Three chimpanzees, named after famous authors and expected to. Sure thing study guide contains a biography of david ives, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Essay on david ives sure thing on the surface david ives sure thing is a play about two strangers who meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. David ives is an american playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. Sure thing a play by david ives pdf sure thing a play by david ives.
David ives tells a story of love and companionship in his play soap opera. They were created and conceived throughout the late 1980s into the early 1990s, and although each short play stands on its own, they are often performed together. Play analysis sure thing by david ivis the setting of sure thing by david ivis is important in terms of setting the mood as well as the context for the plays main conflict. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. Ives forms an effective drama that explores the different reactions humans have towards a few simple words.
Pdf the postmodern narrative in sure thing david boone. All in the timing, six oneact comedies acting edition acting edition for theater productions david ives on. Its unknown if one inspired the other, but we do know that both storylines feature an incredible phenomenon. Dec 24, 2017 sure thing features comic pros carson elrod and liv rooth. Featuring six diverse but equally hysterical oneact comedies, david ives all in the timing is a witty, romantic, absurd, and existentiallyminded evening of theatre. Their meeting is constantly being reset by a ring of a bell. Rosenbaum, a scientist testing the hypothesis that three apes hitting keys at random on typewriters for an infinite. The new york times in 1997 referred to him as the maestro of the short form. Critical analysis essay on the drama sure thing by david ives engaging in a fight with members of the opposite sex can turn out to be a strenuous task. Sure thing is a short comic play by david ives featuring a chance meeting of two characters, betty and bill, whose conversation is continually reset by the use of. Pdf 1 the play sure thing from david ives examines.
I mean, whats a goodlooking woman like you doing out alone on a friday night. Sure thing is a short comic play by american playwright david ives, first produced in 1988. Sure thing is set in a cafe where the the two main characters, bill and betty, awkwardly encounter one. About five years later, the movie groundhog day starring bill murray was released. What elements of a comedy does david ives oneact play sure. Get an answer for what elements of a comedy does david ives oneact play sure thing display. Oct 01, 1994 all in the timing by david ives is a collection of fourteen short plays most of which fall into the comedy category, though there are some exceptions. I have never read a play which is a little bit confusing at the first time i read it.
Other themes which are just as important are the emergence of romance, of the possibilities of romance and impossibilities, and the way language. He is perhaps best known for his comic oneact plays. Beneath the surface, david ives play sure thing provides a provocative look into the process of narrativebuilding in relationships. I dont remember buying this copy but im sure it was for a good reason. David ives play sure thing is a remarkably witty satire on the malefemale relationship. The play, sure thing by david ives, is a drama with an exceptional structure. Ives s characters plunge into black holes called philadelphias, where the simplest desires are hilariously thwarted. After reading it a few times we then thought the theme was about a girl. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of sure thing by david ives. Helene g adaptation from david ives all in the timing. From the minute i started reading all in the timing with the play sure thing i knew i would enjoy it. Essay on love and relationships in sure thing by david ives. Sure thing features comic pros carson elrod and liv rooth. Film adaptation of the play sure thing by david ives.
I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if i had screwed up on purpose all those years. And thats the kind of weird thing thats been happening all day. David ives sure thing in the style of tom goes to the mayor part 1 duration. Play analysis sure thing by david ivis essay example bartleby. Ives has also written dramatic plays, narrative stories, and screenplays, has adapted french 17th and 18thcentury classical comedies, and adapted 33. In david ives play sure thing the setting of the drama is crucial to the characters development. Sure thing, by david ives, and the godfather, by puzo and coppola analysis. At once enchanting and perplexing, incisively intelligent and sidesplittingly funny, this original paperback edition of ives s plays includes sure thing, words, words, words, the universal language, variations on the death of trotsky, the philadelphia, long ago and far away, foreplay, or the art of the fugue, seven menus, mere. She takes off the coat, revealing a studded patentleather top, a short black leather skirt, and a silverstudded dog collar. We will frequently figure out this sentence anywhere. Ive only read all in the timing, and i really enjoyed it. David ives born july 11, 1950 is an american playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. The first, sure thing, is seemingly a simple boy and girl meet cute comedy, set in a coffee shop, in which the two get to know each other at a shared table. Come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays.
Sure thing by david ives by antaszsa johnson on prezi. Roger fontana, instructor 21 april 20 sure thing by david ives sure thing is a short comic play by david ives including the meeting of two characters. In the play sure thing by david ives, how many characters were. Though ives originally planned to set his play at a bus stop, ives sets the play in a cafe, where betty, one of the main characters, is sitting alone at a table, reading. Taking place over ten minutes, it focuses on the chance meeting of two characters, betty and bill, who have their conversation constantly.
He was educated at northwestern university and the yale school of drama. The world according to david ives is a very add place, and his plays constitute a virtual stress test of the english language and of the audiences capacity fo. It is one of the most unique piece of literature that i have ever read. Mohammed ali who is a prizefighting boxing champion once stated that his toughest fight was with his first wife. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of sure thing by david ives.
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