Discovery and invention

by Anne Dean

Spanning three decades, Lanford Wilson's urban plays constitute a neat summation of his achievements as a dramatist. In Discovery and Invention, Anne M. Dean demonstrates that they also provide superb examples of his ability to extricate every ounce of poetry from ordinary language. From the youthful experimentation dominating every aspect of Balm in Gilead (1964), to the contrast of the almost traditionally conceived and lyrical The Hot l Baltimore (1973) and, finally, to the sheer linguistic versatility of Burn This (1987), Wilson has proven himself to be a challenging and adaptable dramatist whose works perfectly match the spirit of the times. Wilson is, above all, an American playwright; his work bestrides the United States, reflections of his experiences echoing throughout plays variously set in remote farming communities, small towns, and big cities. Wherever he has settled, Wilson has utilized the landscape as a dramatic canvas, recreating the language he has heard there into a