Burning Up the Dictionary by Meron Langsner

A story of Language, Love, Lust, and Loss. From the Vagabond Theatre Group blog: "Burning up the Dictionary, as described by Meron, feels like When Harry Met Sally but possessed by the demonic spirit of Neil LaBute. It journeys into the tenaciously crumbling relationship of two people who love and need each other but can’t find any room for trust. The play explores the personal language of every...
A story of Language, Love, Lust, and Loss. From the Vagabond Theatre Group blog: "Burning up the Dictionary, as described by Meron, feels like When Harry Met Sally but possessed by the demonic spirit of Neil LaBute. It journeys into the tenaciously crumbling relationship of two people who love and need each other but can’t find any room for trust. The play explores the personal language of every relationship and how a common language that once kept people extremely close can also wound and drive them further apart."

Nominated for an IRNE Award for Best New Play (Independent Reviewers of New England)

A portion of this play (with commentary) was published in The Fight Master: Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors.
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Burning Up the Dictionary

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    9 Aug. 2020
    “ A fascinating exploration of the intimacy in a relationship and how important communication becomes. Our stories of each other mean everything to us. Where did it break off and where are we now when the love is still there? How does this translate over time? A beautiful and authentic portrait that resonates. Well done! ”
  • John Minigan:
    18 Jun. 2017
    “ The clear, simple, staccato dialogue in this play is a perfect metaphor for the way even our most clever and adept attempts to frame and express our feelings do little to capture the depth of those feelings. These two characters struggle on their own and together to describe and codify "intimacy," sometimes convincing themselves they've succeeded and sometimes convincing themselves they've failed. Throughout the whole play, the depth of their heartbreak and longing are palpable and devastating. Lovely work! ”
  • Ian Thal:
    18 Jan. 2015
    “ "Burning Up The Dictionary" very cleverly tells its story of a couple negotiating the intimacy of their private language after their break-up. Particularly smart is the final scene actually forces the audience to question whether they may need to reevaluate their understanding of what had been said and done; it's not a plot twist, so much as a semantic twist.

    I attended both a reading of some early excerpts in 2011 at the Small Theatre Alliance of Boston's Playwrights Open Mic and the premiere by Vagabond Theatre Group in 2012. ”

1m/1f

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Lark Play Development Center
    ,
    2012
  • Reading
    ,
    Vagabond Theatre Group
    ,
    2012
  • Reading
    ,
    Interim Writers
    ,
    2012
  • Workshop
    ,
    Bostonia Bohemia
    ,
    2012
  • Reading
    ,
    Small Theatre Alliance of Boston
    ,
    2011

Production History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Vagabond Theatre Group
    ,
    2012

Awards

Finalist
,
Best New Play
,
IRNE - Independent Reviewers of New England
,
2012