Inside the mind of a playwright

What really stood out to be in the interview of Edward Albee that we watched in class was the process in which Albee writes a play. From the idea in his mind, to the final script on paper, Albee describes the process as a translation for the unconscious to the conscious to the page—without writing anything down before getting to the final product. I never realized how much time and thought is put into the creation of a play before it is even drafted on paper. Albee further describes that a play “goes on in his head” for at least 6 months to 3 years before he even writes a word on paper. This concept has given me a new appreciation for plays, and all of the work that playwrights put into every fine detail in order to make the final product what it is.

Albee’s relationship with the characters of his plays also taught me more about what goes into the making of a play from the playwrights’ perspective. Whether Albee consciously or unconsciously does so, many of his plays, including “Three Tall Women,” depicts an unhealthy relationship between children and their parents. This is indubitably connected to Albee’s personal injury of being abandoned by his birthparents and having a poor relationship with his adoptive parents. I can imagine that writing these plays is a form of catharsis for Albee and a healthy way of expressing his emotions without the involvement of alcohol.