Synopses & Reviews
The mystery plays and other drama of the English Middle Ages are perennially popular with students and theater audiences alike. This book gives an up-to-date account of the field, aimed at students of English literature and theater, as well as showing how the plays can be appreciated by the theater-going public in modern productions. It introduces new readers to famous mystery cycles such as those of Chester and York, and to great morality plays such as Everyman. There is a strong emphasis on theatricality, with numerous illustrations and valuable reference material.
Review
'\"Each essay on the plays presents a richly detailed discussion of manuscript and sources, literary interpretation, staging and audience....The collection benefits from research into both medieval theatrical practice and modern productions....the Companion makes impressive use of manuscript and staging studies.\" Times Literary Supplement\"The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre goes past the old assumptions to take a fresh approach to the material....This is an excellent introduction to the medieval English theatre.\" Small Press\"The writing in this volume is scholarly and erudite but also eminently readable. This book will be of great interest to the casual theater lover as well as theater historians.\" Charles Neuringer, American Reference Books Annual\"The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre is a welcome addition to the growing literature on the early English stage since it presents work by a very knowledgeable group of scholars whose essays will be useful to the beginning student and the advanced scholar alike.\" Clifford Davidson, Speculum\"Each essay on the plays presents a richly detailed discussion of manuscript and sources, literary interpretation, staging and audience....The collection benefits from research into both medieval theatrical practice and modern productions....the Companion makes impressive use of manuscript and staging studies.\" Times Literary Supplement\"The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre goes past the old assumptions to take a fresh approach to the material....This is an excellent introduction to the medieval English theatre.\" Small Press\"The writing in this volume is scholarly and erudite but also eminently readable. This book will be of great interest to the casual theater lover as well as theater historians.\" Charles Neuringer, American Reference Books Annual\"The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre is a welcome addition to the growing literature on the early English stage since it presents work by a very knowledgeable group of scholars whose essays will be useful to the beginning student and the advanced scholar alike.\" Clifford Davidson, Speculum'
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 344-364) and indexes.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; List of contributors; Preface; List of abbreviations; System of reference, and list of editions of plays cited in the text; Chronological table; 1. An introduction to medieval English theatre William Tydeman; 2. The theatricality of medieval English plays Meg Twycross; 3. The York cycle Richard Beadle; 4. The Chester cycle David Mills; 5. The Towneley cycle Peter Meredith; 6. The N-Town plays Alan J. Fletcher; 7. The non-cycle plays and the East Anglian tradition John C. Coldewey; 8. The Cornish medieval drama Brian O. Murdoch; 9. Morality plays Pamela M. King; 10. Saintsâplays Darryl Grantley; 11. Modern productions of medieval English plays John Marshall; 12. A guide to criticism of medieval English theatre Peter Happé; Select bibliography; Author index to the bibliography; General index.