Mr. and Mrs. Smith are an English couple who live together and share the same bed. In every sense, with class and discipline, they have guests who may not even know each other, but they don't recognize them. The guests come, but the guests also don't recognize them. A classy couple, a husband and wife, neither of them remembers where they have seen each other. They have nothing to say. Everyone tries to talk, but their words are completely empty and meaningless, just like the name of the play is completely meaningless. The voice of the dice player, a person who has no such meaningless role in the play at all and has no reason for the play to be named after him. The play may have a completely sexual and symbolic meaning, but there is no reason for this content. The play may be very meaningful, but the sentences are so empty, vain and ridiculous that they do not reflect any meaning.
The voice of the dice player is the first play of Eugène Ionesco, a great Romanian writer. He wrote this play in French when he only had a beginner's guidebook in English. The performance was a revolutionary one in history and Ionesco was the first absurd writer.
In this introduction, I cannot express my enthusiasm for reading and seeing such a play. I have laughed a lot with this play and it can still surprise me. I can only insist that you read this play and only read it. Don't think about anything else. The play is nothing but itself and this gives it a power that is not comparable to any other play text. A great play, very great, that has no meaning in itself. It only has pleasure, pleasure, pleasure.
Note: This play has various translations, one of which is Dariush Mehrjui's translation. Unfortunately, the two final acts of the play have been deleted in it and the three possible endings of Ionesco on this work have also been deleted (in fact, the play without an ending is the original work). According to my own taste, I prefer Sahar Davari's translation.

I truly relished the initial two plays within this book. However, the latter two did not quite have the same appeal for me. I sense that in the first two plays, Eugene Ionesco had a unifying theme that managed to shine through the chaos of his work. But unfortunately, this element seemed to be lacking in the second two plays.

In one of the plays, the stage directions stipulated that the aim was to make the audience experience feelings of awkwardness, shame, discomfort, and guilt. I, for one, am not a proponent of such emotions after devoting a significant amount of time to a play. The production of a play demands a great deal of time, and many "play-goers" would argue that paying to sit and watch a play should leave one with a certain degree of enlightenment. Regrettably, these plays do not really offer that. When reading them, they failed to inspire any sense of enlightenment within me. Instead, I grew tired, felt a monotony creeping in, was bombarded by a large vocabulary that no sane person could understand, became muddled, and at times, even felt angry.

"The Bald Soprano" - Someone once told me that this play can be best described as "a house of robots." Honestly, I couldn't put it any better myself. This play has very little, if any, discernible plot. The emphasis here is truly on the characters, and all those characters exist in their own little worlds, yet they know their place. Throughout the play, they simply go through the motions of an ordinary day.

"The Lesson" - This one was perhaps my favorite play in the entire book. It had a great plot and a wonderful build-up towards the end. The ending, on the last page or two, was a bit awkward, but that is to be expected in the realm of absurdist theatre. This is definitely a must-read!

"Jack or The Submission" - The vocabulary in this play is simply impossible! If you were to look up every insane word that you don't know while reading this play, you would be doing yourself a disservice. If you were performing the play, then yes, by all means, look up the words and understand their meanings. Since this play is so absurd, the words don't fit into the context of the sentences or situations in a reasonable manner anyway. Honestly, you could make up anything you want to substitute for those words, and it would still be essentially the same play.

"The Chairs" - I despised this play. It is so repetitive and monotone. There is no visible plot to speak of. The ending makes even less sense than anything I have ever read before. Due to its repetitive nature, this play felt extremely long, and I almost regret having read it at all. It was truly a waste of an hour of my life. I would not recommend it to anyone.

I have read three out of the four one-act plays in this collection, namely "The Bald Soprano", "The Lesson", and "The Chairs". All three of them have been valuable in enhancing my understanding of the movement known as "The Theater of The Absurd". Ionesco will further elaborate on the themes presented in these short plays in his full-length masterpiece, "The Rhinoceros".

Among these one-acts, "The Chairs" was undoubtedly my favorite. I perceive it as an absurd commentary not only on the theater (The Arts) but also on politics and religion. In our desperate search for meaning in life, we look up to our respected "orators" - writers, leaders, and priests - hoping for a "message", yet we only receive nonsensical answers. I noticed many similarities with Beckett's "Waiting for Godot".

"The Bald Soprano", perhaps Ionesco's second most renowned dramatic work, appears to be a satire on middle-class bourgeois marriage, focusing specifically on the conventions of conversation and language. I highly recommend reading Professor Manuel A. Esteban's (University of Michigan-Dearborn) analysis of this play in "MasterPlots II, Drama Series, Salem Press, 116-121". It provides an in-depth exploration of its themes and serves as an excellent introduction to Ionesco's visionary project, later termed "The Theater of the Absurd".

"The Lesson" is a deeply disturbing one-act play that delves into totalitarianism as it pertains to education, as well as how the manipulation of thought is related to language, reasoning, and ultimately politics.

I absolutely adored 'The Lesson' and 'The Chairs'.

The latter, in particular, had me on the edge of my seat, feeling quite anxious at times. Lol.

I'm seriously considering watching a play later on, provided it's accessible online.

That being said, I'm really curious as to what 'Jack, or the Submission' was all about. Lmao.

As for 'The Bald Soprano', it was just okayish for me.

I have to confess that I didn't fully understand it, which is probably why I didn't enjoy it as much as others seem to have.

I've been reading other reviews where people rave about how much they loved it.

It makes me wonder if I'm missing something crucial or if my perception is just different.

Maybe I need to give it another chance and look at it from a different perspective.

Who knows, I might end up loving it too.

Reading these plays has ignited within me a great desire to stage them.

I am certain that Ionesco's work possesses a visceral element that can only be fully realized (or perhaps mainly realized) when actually seeing the productions rather than simply reading them. This is especially true for "The Bald Soprano" and, my favorite in this volume, "The Chairs."

Absurdist theater can sometimes be a bit repetitive and dull, but these early plays of Ionesco's still manage to seem fresh. They also contain the seeds of social commentary, touching on aspects such as suburban English life, the relationship between teacher and student, family inheritance and marriage rituals, and screeds proposing programs for the good of "humanity."

Although his political position is quite to the right of mine, I still appreciate the sheer audacity of his work in throwing away theatrical conventions and demanding that the audience endure discomfort and bewilderment. Of course, with enough entertainment thrown in, one hopes that they will stick with it and discover the unique魅力 of Ionesco's absurdist theater.

First, a word of warning: The four plays in this book should not be consumed in one sitting - the absurdity is just too much and you're likely to form a negative impression of Ionesco.

That said, after giving myself time to reflect upon each of these plays (and even going to performances of two of them), I feel justified in saying that they are a waste of time. You'd do better to read other existentialist writers like Sartre and Camus. Their limpid prose dramatizes their belief that language and rationality is still, in some ways, adequate to the task of expressing the absurdity, purposelessness and senselessness of life - a belief that Ionesco, of course, shares. But he conveys it in meaningless, pared-down language.

To be sure, some of the scenes (especially in The Bald Soprano) were funny and the banal dialogue is reminiscent of Austen's Ms. Bates and Harriet Smith. But overall, I feel that Ionesco is one of those rare writers where the criticism of his work far surpasses the work itself. It can be very interesting to consider, for example, whether "The Chairs" is about a character suffering from multiple personality disorder or from a splitting of consciousness.

However, this kind of intellectual speculation does not make up for the lack of substance and depth in the plays themselves. Ionesco's experiments with language and form may have been innovative at the time, but they ultimately fail to engage the reader or viewer on a deeper level.

In conclusion, while Ionesco's plays may have some merit in terms of their comical and absurd elements, they are not worth the time and effort required to fully understand and appreciate them. There are far better works of existentialist literature out there that can provide a more profound and meaningful exploration of the human condition.

I think watching these plays would be great fun.

However, as you progress through the book, the quality of the plays seems to decline. It becomes a bit of a chore to read. For instance, I ended up skimming "The Chairs" because it was so repetitive. I could see the arc of the plot just 10 pages in.

Most of the plays have very similar endings that stress the recursive and nonsensical nature. This is not a book that you should try to read in a week like I did. Instead, it would be better to read one play and then come back a few weeks later to read another.

Perhaps, when these plays are performed rather than just read, they are probably a lot more enjoyable. This is because the context and the live performance can bring out the true essence and魅力 of the plays.

Overall, while the book has its flaws, it still has the potential to offer an interesting and unique experience if approached in the right way.

Eugene Ionesco's journey with the English language was not just one of learning but also of falling deeply in love with its intricacies. This love affair gave birth to four truly crazy plays.

'The Bald Soprano' takes us to a dinner party that seems to have a touch of Alice in Wonderland with the absence of the Mad Hatter. Two couples engage in the most absurd and crazy conversations, leading to a twisted and unexpected ending that leaves the audience in a state of shock and confusion.

'The Lesson' revolves around a professor who is trying to help a young woman achieve her doctorate. However, when they reach the subject of arithmetic, everything goes horribly wrong. Arithmetic, a seemingly tough subject, becomes the catalyst for chaos and mayhem in this play.

'Jack or the Submission' is not what one might initially assume. (And no, it's not what you're thinking! Get your mind out of the gutter. Lol) Jack is pressured to marry Roberta, but when he discovers she has two noses, he declines. After all, he has a strange preference for three noses. However, he almost turns away the three-nosed beauty until he notices she has nine fingers on one hand. Then, miraculously, it's true love.

'The Chairs' is a unique blend of tragedy and farce. It tells the story of an old couple. The man has invited a multitude of people, including the Emperor, to hear the speech he has been waiting his entire life to deliver. But as the crowd begins to arrive, they are all invisible. What follows is a play that is actually quite sad, with a tragic ending that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.

Blech. This so-called work is truly the literary equivalent of splattering a fetid substance on canvas and then having the audacity to call it art. It's simply abhorrent.

What's even more galling is the use of these convoluted allegories. Do they think that by hiding behind such complex and often incomprehensible devices, they can pass off this drivel as something profound?

And to top it all off, people actually paid money to see this? It's简直难以置信. How could anyone be so gullible as to shell out their hard-earned cash for such a piece of junk?

It makes one wonder about the state of modern art and literature. Are we really at a point where anything goes and quality no longer matters? It's a sad state of affairs indeed.

I guess these plays would have got another star if I hadn't read Beckett.

Beckett's works have had a profound impact on my perception of drama. His unique style and approach to storytelling have set a high standard in my mind.

When I read these other plays, I couldn't help but compare them to Beckett's masterpieces. While they may have had their own merits, they simply couldn't measure up to the depth and complexity that Beckett achieved.

Perhaps if I had never been exposed to Beckett's works, I would have been more impressed with these plays. But now, after experiencing the brilliance of Beckett, it's difficult for me to view other dramas in the same light.

Nevertheless, I still appreciate the efforts and creativity of the playwrights who wrote these plays. They each have their own unique voices and perspectives, and it's important to recognize and value that.

Overall, while these plays may not have received that extra star in my eyes, they still have something to offer and are worth exploring and enjoying.

While Rhinoceros continues to remain my favorite work by Ionesco,

the theatre of the absurd that is so vividly captured across these works is truly remarkable.

It perfectly encapsulates the wide range of scathing social commentary through its absurd world-building.

This dramatic movement truly excels in creating a unique and thought-provoking experience.

Among these works, "The Lesson" stands out as being exceptionally haunting.

It has a certain quality that lingers in the mind long after the play has ended.

The strange and often illogical events that unfold on stage serve to highlight the absurdity of our own social and cultural norms.

Through this, Ionesco forces us to question the values and beliefs that we take for granted.

"The Lesson" is a prime example of the power of the theatre of the absurd to make us see the world in a new and different light.

It challenges us to step outside of our comfort zones and engage with the deeper themes and ideas that are being presented.

Overall, Ionesco's works, including "The Lesson," are a testament to the enduring appeal and relevance of the theatre of the absurd.

The Bald Soprano, by far, is my favorite work of literature I have ever encountered.

It is a truly remarkable piece that stands out among all others. The play's ability to capture the essence of the everyday absurdity that constantly haunts me is simply flawless.

Every scene and every line seems to be a reflection of the strange and often illogical events that occur in our lives.

The characters, with their idiosyncrasies and nonsensical conversations, bring this absurdity to life in the most vivid way.

It makes me question the meaning and purpose of our existence, and yet, at the same time, it provides a sense of relief and comfort in knowing that I am not alone in experiencing this chaos.

The Bald Soprano is not just a play; it is a profound exploration of the human condition and a reminder that sometimes, the most absurd things in life are the ones that make the most sense.