David Mamet does not want you to talk about his plays.

At least not in the venue for at least two hours after the play has ended.  

That's a pity.  

One of the best evenings I've ever had in a theater was a talkback of "Oleanna" at Trustus Theatre in Columbia, South Carolina. The show had clearly divided the audience in half, including the opinions of my own party, and the discussions that resulted were exciting and vibrant, the kind that only good work can generate.   

This policy will not endear him to artistic directors or audiences. Then again, my friends who were in the audience for "The Anarchist" weren't endeared by the play he thrust on Broadway last year, and directed to boot. 

Mamet's a great playwright. But there's nothing great about this new contract provision.