Reviews Hearing More Voices
Hearing More Voices
5.0 out of 5 stars: Enjoyable, Entertaining, and Thought Provoking
I read the book, “Hearing More Voices: 14 More Short Plays by a Psychotherapist” by Paul Surace, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is hard to categorize because it isn’t just a collection of plays that a theatre might want to produce, which is a fairly limited audience for a book. I think it has a much wider audience that would enjoy reading it, as it is part memoir, part self-help, and partially a primer on some of the dynamics of therapy. The author, a working therapist, has written a reflection after each play. These reflections greatly add to the reader’s enjoyment. They are like a good talk back after the performance with the author, as he goes into greater detail regarding the origin of the play and shares deeper insights about the play. He also offers suggestions to help readers who may be dealing with similar issues.
The plays found in “Hearing More Voices” are funny, thought-provoking, truthful, and often poignant. They bring a sense of hope into our world. They don’t shy away from the messiness of this world, but instead of leaving readers in despair about the problems we face, they point the way towards growth and healing. And although there is a resolution or ending to each play, they don’t tie everything up with a neat bow.
I enjoyed all the plays in the book, but I was particularly drawn to the plays which revolved around therapy. While these plays are not factual, verbatim depictions of counseling, they are truthful. I think this book could be a good ancillary text to an introduction to counseling course, as it actually highlights many of the concepts found in an introductory counseling class and it does so in a winsome way.
The characters and settings are easily relatable to the lives of many readers. With such a wide variety of plays, there is sure to be something that a reader can connect with.
I think actors would enjoy playing these characters, which range in age from a teenager to individuals in their 60s. Most of the plays require very little in the way of staging. Audiences would definitely be entertained by them, but they would also have much to chew on after the show is over as they contemplate what choices these characters might make in the future and by projection what choices they might make in the future.
And although plays are made to be heard and not read, these plays are an entertaining read. The reflections that follow each play are also worth the price of admission. Anyone, but particularly those involved in theatre or therapy, would benefit from giving “Hearing More Voices” a read because it illumines the human condition and gives us hope that we might be able to find healing through connection with one another.
Reviews Hearing Voices
Hearing Voices
5.0 out of 5 stars Depth Within Innocence
What I have always liked about Paul's writing is that he is able to capture both the depth of the human experience and the innocence of it all. That's not an easy combo. I am reminded of John Hughes and Steven Spielberg, both who are able to capture these two sides of our nature and in so doing inspire us. Paul inspires us with his stories because they come from the core of the heart. I love the always present humor and the ideal that there must be a solution somewhere in every conflict.
