---
product_id: 348790
title: "Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays"
price: "₹ 4438"
currency: INR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.in/products/348790-backwards-and-forwards-a-technical-manual-for-reading-plays
store_origin: IN
region: India
---

# Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays

**Price:** ₹ 4438
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays
- **How much does it cost?** ₹ 4438 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.in](https://www.desertcart.in/products/348790-backwards-and-forwards-a-technical-manual-for-reading-plays)

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## Description

Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays [David Ball, Michael Langham] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays

Review: Packs a Punch - A great read. Simply yet interestingly written, and gives you a lot of learning material in such a short book.
Review: A "Must-Read"! - David Ball's Backwards & Forwards is the single most important book you need to understand any dramatic work. While it is a 'must-read' for any student of theater and is widely taught, it really has immense value for anyone who enjoys any dramatic narrative and even has value for writers or readers of any sort. Like David himself with whom I had the great pleasure of studying, the text is straightforward and clever. He pads nothing, gets right to the point and boy, does he hit the mark.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #58,086 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5 in Theater Direction & Production (Books) #10 in Playwriting (Books) #18 in Play & Scriptwriting Writing Reference |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (499) |
| Dimensions  | 5.38 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches |
| Edition  | First Edition |
| ISBN-10  | 0809311100 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0809311101 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 112 pages |
| Publication date  | July 7, 1983 |
| Publisher  | Southern Illinois University Press |

## Images

![Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61AGs-7CSFL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Packs a Punch
*by A***R on February 16, 2026*

A great read. Simply yet interestingly written, and gives you a lot of learning material in such a short book.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A "Must-Read"!
*by S***L on January 27, 2021*

David Ball's Backwards & Forwards is the single most important book you need to understand any dramatic work. While it is a 'must-read' for any student of theater and is widely taught, it really has immense value for anyone who enjoys any dramatic narrative and even has value for writers or readers of any sort. Like David himself with whom I had the great pleasure of studying, the text is straightforward and clever. He pads nothing, gets right to the point and boy, does he hit the mark.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ useful and full of examples
*by L***R on August 12, 2014*

Succinct, useful and full of examples. Although it's very much a directorial approach, it is essential for the actor. For students who are bored with plays as literature, this restores plays to playing. It's brief yet leaves out little. Seems expensive for its brevity, however.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays
- Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy (Theater in the Americas)
- Dramaturgy: The Basics

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*Product available on Desertcart India*
*Store origin: IN*
*Last updated: 2026-05-24*