Product Description

One of a series of titles first published by Faber between 1930 and 1990, and in a style and format planned with a view to the appearance of the volumes on the bookshelf. In this play, Stoppard parodies the philosophy lecturer, the detective thriller, the comedy of manners and the Whitehall farce.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89936 in Books
• Published on: 1986-08-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 78 pages

Customer Reviews

Jumpers
This was my first taste of Tom Stoppard's work, and it had me hooked. The hero of this farce, George, is the Professor of Moral Philosophy and is attempting to debate the existance of a moral absolute - God. Unfortunately, Duncan McFee, a jumper and his opposition for the debate about God, is shot dead. George is blissfully unaware of this, tucked away in his office, more concerned about the disappearance of his specially trained hare, Thumper. However, when Inspector Bones comes to investigate, this leads to some very amusing cross-communication. Jumpers is exquisitely organised chaos, which manages to incorporate sparkling wit, mind-boggling phisics and philosophy to produce a remarkable play, ending in a hysterically funny coda. The characters are all vivid in their eccentricities, from Dottie, his wife and prematurely retired singer who really is dotty, to Archie, doctor, lawyer, philosopher (George's peer) and gymnast, who spends generally too much time in Dottie's bedroom. Due to Stoppard's skill at writing in a way which is easy to visualise, it is highly enjoyable just to read, without wathing a production, but if you get theh chance to see it, do. It is the funniest play I have read in a long time, best summed up by George's observation, 'The close assosiation between gymnastics and philosophy is, I believe, unique to this university.'