''Stage Directions'' covers half a lifetime and the whole range of Frayn's theatrical writing, right up to a new piece about his latest play, ''Afterlife''. It is also a reflection on his path into theater: the 'doubtful beginnings' of his childhood, his subsequent scorn as a young man and, surprisingly late in life, his reluctant conversion. Whatever subjects he tackles, from the exploration of the atomic nucleus to the mechanics of farce, Michael Frayn is never less than fascinating, delightfully funny and charming. This book encapsulates a lifetime's work and is guaranteed to be a firm favorite with his legions of fans around the world.