A series of concise, observant essays about theatrical life that interweave practical stagecraft and wry reflection. Topics include the nervous rituals of the final rehearsal, furniture and costume adjustments, the uneasy relationship between playwrights and performers, methods by which creators try to anticipate audience reaction, and the unpredictability of public taste. Anecdotes about critics, rehearsals, and theatrical routine illustrate broader points about authorship, performance, language, and the collaborative, often capricious mechanics that determine a play's reception.