📖 Overview
David Ives is an American playwright and screenwriter best known for his one-act comedies and comic adaptations of classic works. His plays frequently employ wordplay, wit, and experimental structures, often featuring characters caught in absurdist or paradoxical situations.
"All in the Timing," a collection of six one-act plays that premiered in 1993, established Ives as a significant voice in contemporary theater. His full-length play "Venus in Fur" received critical acclaim and a Tony Award nomination for Best Play in 2012, later being adapted into a film by Roman Polanski.
Ives has written numerous adaptations and translations for Broadway and off-Broadway, including versions of classic French comedies and musicals. His work as a book writer for the musical "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" demonstrates his versatility across theatrical forms.
Beyond theater, Ives has contributed to opera adaptations and served as a Guggenheim Fellow in playwriting. His plays are frequently performed in regional theaters and universities across the United States, making him one of the most-produced playwrights in American theater.
👀 Reviews
Readers consistently highlight Ives' clever wordplay and intellectual humor in his one-act plays. Many Amazon reviewers of "All in the Timing" note the plays' accessibility for both reading and performance, with theater students particularly praising their versatility for scene work.
What readers liked:
- Quick-witted dialogue and smart comedy
- Tight, focused structures in short plays
- Successful blend of philosophy and humor
- Strong roles for actors to perform
What readers disliked:
- Some plays feel too cerebral or abstract
- Humor can be too language-focused for some tastes
- Full-length works receive less enthusiasm than one-acts
- Some find the experimental formats confusing
Ratings across platforms:
- Goodreads: "All in the Timing" - 4.1/5 (2,000+ ratings)
- Amazon: "All in the Timing" - 4.5/5 (150+ reviews)
- "Venus in Fur" - 4.3/5 on Goodreads (900+ ratings)
One student reviewer on Goodreads wrote: "Perfect for scene study - packed with subtext and great character moments." An Amazon reviewer noted: "Clever to the point of being exhausting, but rewards multiple readings."
📚 Books by David Ives
All in the Timing (1993) - A collection of six one-act plays exploring themes of language, time, and human connection through comedic scenarios.
Venus in Fur (2010) - A two-person play about a playwright/director auditioning an actress for an adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novel.
New Jerusalem (2008) - A dramatization of the 1656 interrogation of philosopher Baruch de Spinoza by the Jewish community of Amsterdam.
Lives of the Saints (1999) - Six one-act comedies examining ordinary lives through surreal and absurdist situations.
Ancient History (1989) - A two-character play following one night in the relationship of a Jewish man and Catholic woman.
The Liar (2010) - An adaptation of Pierre Corneille's French comedy about a charming pathological liar in 17th-century Paris.
The School for Lies (2011) - A verse adaptation of Molière's "The Misanthrope" set in 17th-century France.
Voss: How I Come to America and Am Hero, Mostly (2008) - A novel written as the memoir of a fictional Eastern European figure skater who defects to America.
Monsieur Eek (2001) - A children's novel about a chimpanzee who is put on trial for being a French spy in an 18th-century New England town.
Venus in Fur (2010) - A two-person play about a playwright/director auditioning an actress for an adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novel.
New Jerusalem (2008) - A dramatization of the 1656 interrogation of philosopher Baruch de Spinoza by the Jewish community of Amsterdam.
Lives of the Saints (1999) - Six one-act comedies examining ordinary lives through surreal and absurdist situations.
Ancient History (1989) - A two-character play following one night in the relationship of a Jewish man and Catholic woman.
The Liar (2010) - An adaptation of Pierre Corneille's French comedy about a charming pathological liar in 17th-century Paris.
The School for Lies (2011) - A verse adaptation of Molière's "The Misanthrope" set in 17th-century France.
Voss: How I Come to America and Am Hero, Mostly (2008) - A novel written as the memoir of a fictional Eastern European figure skater who defects to America.
Monsieur Eek (2001) - A children's novel about a chimpanzee who is put on trial for being a French spy in an 18th-century New England town.
👥 Similar authors
Tom Stoppard writes theatrical works that blend intellectual concepts with wordplay and comedy. His plays like "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" share Ives' interest in metatheatrical elements and linguistic gymnastics.
Christopher Durang creates absurdist comedies that deal with social issues through humor and satire. His short plays and one-acts employ the same quick wit and rapid-fire dialogue style found in Ives' work.
Luigi Pirandello explores the nature of reality and identity through experimental theater pieces. His works like "Six Characters in Search of an Author" use similar techniques to Ives in breaking down the fourth wall and playing with theatrical conventions.
Steve Martin writes plays and prose that combine intellectual concepts with accessible comedy. His theatrical works like "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" share Ives' interest in historical figures and philosophical ideas presented through humor.
Michael Frayn crafts farces and comedies that often incorporate complex ideas about physics and philosophy. His plays like "Copenhagen" and "Noises Off" demonstrate the same balance of intellectual depth and entertainment value found in Ives' work.
Christopher Durang creates absurdist comedies that deal with social issues through humor and satire. His short plays and one-acts employ the same quick wit and rapid-fire dialogue style found in Ives' work.
Luigi Pirandello explores the nature of reality and identity through experimental theater pieces. His works like "Six Characters in Search of an Author" use similar techniques to Ives in breaking down the fourth wall and playing with theatrical conventions.
Steve Martin writes plays and prose that combine intellectual concepts with accessible comedy. His theatrical works like "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" share Ives' interest in historical figures and philosophical ideas presented through humor.
Michael Frayn crafts farces and comedies that often incorporate complex ideas about physics and philosophy. His plays like "Copenhagen" and "Noises Off" demonstrate the same balance of intellectual depth and entertainment value found in Ives' work.