Synopses & Reviews
This is a superbly illustrated exploration of drama in Britain from the earliest times to the present day. Written with style and imagination, the book not only looks at the development of dramatic form through the ages, but also considers such issues as the development of the acting profession, forms of staging, and other aspects of performance. Theater is considered throughout in relation to the broad social and historical context of the day. This history provides the broadest possible coverage of British theater from satire and burlesque, to melodramas and pantomime, and it is distinctive in its treatment of alternative and "minor" forms of theater alongside the legitimate and mainstream modes. This lively book should appeal to all general readers with an interest in the theater arts. Simon Trussler is a drama professor at the University of London and the editor of New Theatre Quarterly.
Review
"Simon Trussler has produced a work whose wit, readability and inclusiveness--and even inventive layout--make it the very model of modern theater history." John Simon, The New York Times Book Review"Simon Trussler has produced a work whose wit, readability and inclusiveness--and even inventive layout--make it the very model of modern theater history." John Simon, The New York Times Book Review"...until Trussler's [book], I do not recall reading a complete history of the theatre in this country which puts everything into context...Trussler has therefore discovered a gap in the market and well he fills it...Taken a chapter at a time, the sheer magnitude of Trussler's task, the amount of effort and scholarship he has put into it, becomes evident, not least the careful selection of illustrations...a considerable work of reference, covering not only the plays, the actors, the styles of playing and the theatres themselves, but the social and political attitudes of each era..." Stage"Handsome, important, astonishingly inexpensive, and replete with useful chronology, glossary, and who's who, this book belongs in every public and institutional library." J. Ellis, Choice"A combination of authoritative writing and superb illustration makes this one hard to beat as an overview." Stages, The National Theatre Magazine"...a more accessible and contemporary overview...much sharper in its insights." Sunday Times, London"...until Trussler's [book], I do not recall reading a complete history of the theatre in this country which puts everything into context...Trussler has therefore discovered a gap in the market and well he fills it...Taken a chapter at a time, the sheer magnitude of Trussler's task, the amount of effort and scholarship he has put into it, becomes evident, not least the careful selection of illustrations...a considerable work of reference, covering not only the plays, the actors, the styles of playing and the theatres themselves, but the social and political attitudes of each era..." Stage"...crams an enormous amount of material into 400 profusely illustrated pages. A textbook-style organization, complete with lengthy captions and tinted sidebars, is a big help for use as a quick reference. But it's a good read, too, with Trussler's casually learned exposition of the full sweep, ups and downs, and side alleys of English drama from the Romans to modern street theater." San Francisco Examiner"When one views the Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre in this light, its achievements -- as a single volume study -- are impressive. It is an important and up-to-date overview of this large body of material, and is particularly valuable because of its treatment of popular traditions and the poitical dimensions of theatre in earlier periods as well as in recent years." Maria DiCenzo, Essays in Theatre
Synopsis
A major illustrated history of British theatre from the earliest times to the present day.
Synopsis
Combining authoritative writing with superb illustration, The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre is a fascinating exploration of the development of the live performing arts in Britain from the earliest times to the present day. Taking a broad view of theater, the book covers everything from the minor and "illegitimate" to the mainstream and "official"--whether the mystery plays of the Middle Ages or the "real time drama" of Coronation Street, the courtly theater of Shakespeare or the contemporary "fringe." The book is aimed at both students and general readers. Simon Trussler is a retired drama professor at the University of London and the editor of New Theatre Quarterly.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 396-399) and index.
Table of Contents
Introduction; 1. Roman Britain and the Early Middle Ages; 2. The High Middle Ages; 3. The Later Middle Ages; 4. The shaping of a professional theatre; 5. The era of the outdoor playhouses; 6. The Jacobean theatre; 7. The Caroline and Commonwealth theatre; 8. The Restoration theatre; 9. The birth of a Bourgeois theatre; 10. The actors ascendant; 11. Opposition and oppression; 12. The Garrick years; 13. From manners to melodrama; 14. The end of the monopoly; 15. Towards a respectable theatre; 16. The speculative theatre; 17. Romance and realism; 18. The war and the long weekend; 19. The utility theatre; 20. Anger and affluence; 21. Alternative theatres; 22. Theatre and the marketplace; 23. Epilogue.