Synopses & Reviews
Londonand#8217;s Grand Guignoland#8212;a macabre theatre of naturalistic horrorand#8212;was established in the early 1920s at the Little Theatre in the West End. Taking its cue from Le Thand#233;and#226;tre du Grand-Guignol in Paris, this high-profile venture enjoyed as much critical controversy asand#160; popular success. On its side were some of the finest actors of the English stage, such as Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson, as well as a team of extremely able writers, including the legendary Noand#235;l Coward. Londonand#8217;s Grand Guignol and the Theatre of Horror considers the importance and influence of the Grand Guignol within its social, cultural, and historical contexts, while presenting a selection of ten remarkable Grand Guignol plays, several of which were banned by the Lord Chamberlain, the censor of the day, and have never been publicly performedand#8212;including a previously unpublished work by Coward.The companion volume to Grand-Guignol: The French Theatre of Horror, already in its third edition, this book is an essential addition to any gore-loving student of drama and the twentieth-century theatre of horror.
Synopsis
London's Grand Guignol--a macabre theatre of naturalistic horror--was established in the early 1920s at the Little Theatre in the West End. Taking its cue from Le Theatre du Grand-Guignol in Paris, this high-profile venture enjoyed as much critical controversy as popular success. On its side were some of the finest actors of the English stage, such as Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson, as well as a team of extremely able writers, including the legendary Noel Coward. London's Grand Guignol and the Theatre of Horror considers the importance and influence of the Grand Guignol within its social, cultural, and historical contexts, while presenting a selection of ten remarkable Grand Guignol plays, several of which were banned by the Lord Chamberlain, the censor of the day, and have never been publicly performed--including a previously unpublished work by Coward.The companion volume to Grand-Guignol: The French Theatre of Horror, already in its third edition, this book is an essential addition to any gore-loving student of drama and the twentieth-century theatre of horror.
Synopsis
A companion to UEP's Grand-Guignol: The French Theatre of Horror (now in its third reprint). A genre that has left more of a mark on British and American culture than we may imagine' (Gothic Studies). London's Grand Guignol was established in the early 1920s at the Little Theatre in the West End. It was a high-profile venture that enjoyed popular success as much as critical controversy. On its side were some of the finest actors on the English stage, in the shape of Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson, and a team of extremely able writers, including Noel Coward. London's Grand Guignol and the Theatre of Horror considers the importance and influence of the English Grand Guignol within its social, cultural and historical contexts. It also presents a selection of ten remakarble English-language Grand Guignol plays, some of which were banned by the Lord Chamberlain, the censor of the day, and have never been published or publicly performed. Among the plays in the book is a previously unpublished work by Noel Coward, The Better Half, first performed at the Little Theatre in 1922. The reviewer in the journal Gothic Studies wrote, of the authors' previous book: 'having recently taught a module on Grand Guignol with third year drama students, it is also worth noting that this book captured their imaginations in a way that few other set texts seem to manage.'
Synopsis
A companion to UEP's Grand-Guignol: The French Theatre of Horror (now in its third reprint). London's Grand Guignol was established in the early 1920s at the Little Theatre in the West End. It was a high-profile venture that enjoyed popular success as much as critical controversy.
About the Author
Richard J. Hand is Professor of Drama at the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Glamorgan. Michael Wilson is Dean of the School of Media and Performance at University College, Falmouth. Together they have delivered workshops on Grand Guignol, and presented Grand Guignol performances at universities, international conferences and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations
Acknowledgements
Section 1
1. A History of Londonandrsquo;s Grand Guignol
2. Issues of Genre and Writing
3. Performers and Performing
4. Censorship and Reception
5. Londonandrsquo;s Grand Guignol and the Reviewers
6. Aftermath and Legacy
Section 2: Ten Plays of Londonandrsquo;s Grand Guignol
Eight Oandrsquo;Clock
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Reginald Berkeley
A Man in Maryandrsquo;s Room
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Gladys Unger
Private Room Number 6
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Andrandeacute; de Lorde and Pierre Chaine
The Person Unknown
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by H. F. Maltby
Latitude 15anddeg; South
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Victor MacClure
The Old Women
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Christopher Holland
The Nutcracker Suite
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Eliot Crawshay-Williams
The Sistersandrsquo; Tragedy
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Richard Hughes
The Better Half
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by Noandeuml;l Coward
I Want To Go Home
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; by H. F. Maltby
Appendices
1. Londonandrsquo;s Grand Guignol, 1920andndash;1922
2. The Complete Repertoire of Londonandrsquo;s Grand Guignol, 1920andndash;1922
3. Extract from Oh, Hell!!! A andlsquo;Revuetteandrsquo; by Reginald Arkell and Russell Thorndike
Bibliography
Index