I read the beginning of a discussion on plays in the "Indians" thread, and wanted more.

Shanks wrote that Shakespearean plays asked for the willing suspension of disbelief with simple (stupid?) plots. I think Shakespeare's play existed in the characters and the dialogue. Yes, they ask for a suspension of disbelief, which people of yore seem to be able to better than us, but perhaps it's also necessary for plots to be simple, to have a better characterisation.

Other examples that come to mind are Moliere's "The Hypochondriac", Anouilh's "Antigone". Simple plots, great characters. What do you think?

* Aenigma thinks that Shanks should be Shannon as in Williams' "The Night of the Iguana". It knows...