Literary studies: plays and playwrights Books
Running Press Shakespeare The Bards Guide to Abuses and
Book SynopsisBaffle your friends with your erudite knowledge of Shakespearean English, all while casually insulting them. This deluxe collection of Shakespeare''s most dazzling insults is neatly separated into sections for quick retrieval when a stinging retort is demanded. Become the master of your own villainy with creative insults that will show those rogues and ruffians who''s in charge!
£7.82
James Clarke & Co Ltd Before Tom Brown
Book Synopsis
£22.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Migration Plays
Book SynopsisFeaturing four new plays written and devised in collaboration with groups of secondary school children, this collection examines immigration to and emigration from the UK. A theatre-in-education project coordinated by Tamasha theatre company and The Migration Museum, children worked on exercises designed to develop their understanding of, and feelings about, migration. Their reactions were then incorporated into a piece of theatre by a professional playwright that the students then performed. This collection brings together these plays along with the unique exercises that inspired them. The plays include: Nothing to Declare by Sharmila Chauhan follows three precious keepsakes and the stories attached to them as their owners are stopped at a hostile border. Potato Moon by Satinder Chohan focuses on the potatoes buried in a share allotment. They become people's memories in a magical realist Southall and so when they start to go missing, schoolgirl Mira set out to find outTrade ReviewAn excellent resource for teachers. The four plays in themselves are short, zippy and dynamic, providing lots of flexibility for small and large cohorts of students to perform whilst exploring both microcosmic and macrocosmic issues related to the theme. In addition, the inclusion of the exercises employed by the directors and playwrights to devise the subject matter, is essential in making this book a compact resource for creating schemes of work around the topic of migration. * Drama Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction by Fin Kennedy, Tamasha Foreword by Emily Miller of the Migration Museum Author’s note from Sharmila Chauhan Nothing To Declare by Sharmila Chauhan Author’s note by Satinder Chohan Potato Moon by Satinder Chohan Author’s note from Asif Khan Wilkommen by Asif Khan Author’s note from Sumerah Srivastav Jigsaw by Sumerah Srivastav Exercises
£17.59
WW Norton & Co The Tempest
Book Synopsis
£11.99
HarperCollins Publishers Macbeth AQA GCSE 91 English Literature Workbook
Book SynopsisExam Board: AQALevel: GCSE Grade 9-1Subject: English LiteratureSuitable for the 2024 examsTargeted practice questions covering your GCSE grade 9-1 set textOur Macbeth GCSE Grade 9-1 workbook has everything you need to put your skills to the test and score top marks on your GCSE Grade 9-1 English Literature exam! Prepare for your exam in a snap with this new GCSE Grade 9-1 Snap Revision Macbeth Workbook from Collins. Full of questions on plot, context, characters and themes in a clear and easy-to-use format with answers included you'll get plenty of practice. With exam-style questions you can plan and write your essay responses to be completely prepared for your AQA exam. Perfect to use alongside the GCSE Grade 9-1 Snap Revision Macbeth Text Guide for all the key information you need to practise and pass.
£7.49
Faber & Faber The Pillowman
Book SynopsisThe first duty of a storyteller is to tell a story.' Or was it The only duty of a storyteller is to tell a story'?A writer in a totalitarian state is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of child-murders that are happening in his town.''Sometimes you don''t even know what you''ve been craving until the real thing comes along.'' New York Times''McDonagh is more than just a very clever theatrical stylist. His tricks and turns have a purpose. They are bridges over a deep pit of sympathy and sorrow, illuminated by a tragic vision of stunted and frustrated lives.'' Fintan O''Toole, Irish TimesMartin McDonagh''s searingly brilliant play premiered at the National Theatre, London in November 2003. It was revived at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, in June 2023.
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers Much ADO about Nothing
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.'One of Shakespeare's most witty and enjoyable comedies, Much Ado About Nothing is a play that explores courtship, romance and marriage through a number of relationships. Most famously, that of the irrepressible Beatrice and Benedick as they trade their wits against one another, criticising the notion of marriage, yet slowly falling in love with one another as they do so.
£5.62
HarperCollins Publishers The Tempest Paperback
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.We are such stuffAs dreams are made on; and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep.'Magical and dreamlike in its tone, Shakespeare's The Tempest begins with a storm of epic proportions and a shipwreck. Banished from Italy, Prospero lives on a remote island with his daughter. Using his magic, he vows to seek revenge on the injustice dealt to him by his brother, but in doing so, Shakespeare questions the difficulty of distinguishing men' from monsters', and the realities of justice.
£5.62
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Merchant Of Venice
Book SynopsisThe Merchant of Venice is perhaps most associated not with its titular hero, Antonio, but with the complex figure of the money lender, Shylock. The play was described as a comedy in the First Folio but its modern audiences find it more problematic to categorise. The vilification of Shylock 'the Jew' can be very uncomfortable for a post-holocaust audience and debates continue as to whether Shakespeare's portrayal of this complex man is sympathetic or anti-semitic. John Drakakis' comprehensive introduction traces the stage history of the figure of the Jew and looks boldly at twenty-first century issues surrounding it. He also explores other themes of the play such as father/daughter relations, the power of money and the forceful character of Portia, to offer readers an energetic, original and revelatory reading of this challenging play.
£11.67
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Shakespeares Sonnets
Book SynopsisA revised edition of this acclaimed and best-selling edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets and updated throughout to take account of recent scholarship since its first publication in 1997.Trade Review"... this must now be the edition of first resort." Paul Hammond, Review of English Studies
£11.67
Profile Books Ltd House Arrest: Pandemic Diaries
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022 'Sparklingly sardonic ... There really is no one like Bennett' Independent 'Filled with elegiac memories and literary gossip ... a major National Treasure' Lynn Barber 4 March. HMQ pictured in the paper at an investiture wearing gloves, presumably as a precaution against Coronavirus. But not just gloves; these are almost gauntlets. I hope they're not the thin end of a precautionary wedge lest Her Majesty end up swathed in protective get-up such as is worn at the average crime scene. 20 March. With Rupert now working from home my life is much easier, as I get regular cups of tea and a lovely hot lunch. A year in and out of lockdown as experienced by Alan Bennett. The diary takes us from the filming of Talking Heads to thoughts on Boris Johnson, from his father's short-lived craze for family fishing trips, to stair lifts, junk shops of old, having a haircut, and encounters on the local park bench. A lyrical afterword describes the journey home to Yorkshire from King's Cross station via fish and chips on Quebec Street, past childhood landmarks of Leeds, through Coniston Cold, over the infant River Aire, and on.Trade ReviewThe dyspeptic Pepys from Yorkshire, Alan Bennett, master of the "absurd and inexplicable" moments of ordinary life, offers up a curation of his thoughts, diaries and essays of the pandemic years that makes for a digestible stocking filler ... his thoughts and writing are as clear-eyed and vigorous as ever * Times Best Biography and Memoir Books of 2022 *From the singular pen of the incomparable Alan Bennett comes a drily witty and endlessly charming diary of life in and out of lockdown, running the gamut from park bench encounters to haircuts to Boris Johnson * Waterstones Best Books of 2022: Biography *Sparklingly sardonic ... There really is no one like Bennett, as this small gem demonstrates -- Martin Chilton * Independent *Filled with elegiac memories and literary gossip ... a major National Treasure -- Lynn Barber * Telegraph *Mournful and witty ... Bennett at his best -- Roger Lewis * Daily Mail *I worship Alan Bennett -- David SedarisHis stories improve with each telling ... Perhaps it is Bennett's long experience as a dramatist that lends his prose such perfect timing -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Our greatest living writer -- Clive Davis * The Times *He still has the sharpest pen in Britain ... Bennett is at his best when flirting with indecency ... mesmerising and unbearably sad * Daily Telegraph *There is no other writer, certainly none from any other era or nation, quite like Alan Bennett -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *Cleverer and funnier than any one person has a right to be -- John Carey * Sunday Times *His writing remains as deft and seamless as ever -- Kathryn Hughes * The Guardian *Vivid and evocative in the way we've come to expect from him ... the diaries of the inimitable Alan Bennett are always highly anticipated -- Alastair Mabbot * The Herald *He may clearly be increasingly frail but, even in lockdown, Alan Bennett retains his customary waspish wit in the latest tranche of his diaries * Choice *
£8.54
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Changeling
Book SynopsisMichael Neill is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Auckland. He is the author of Issues of Death (1997) and Putting History to the Question (2000). He has edited Anthony and Cleopatra (1994) and Othello (2006) for the Oxford Shakespeare, Middleton and Rowley's The Changeling (2006) for New Mermaids, Massinger's The Renegado (2010) for Arden Early Modern Drama, and Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy (2013) for Norton Critical editions. He is currently preparing Webster's The Duchess of Malfi for Norton, and co-editing The Oxford Handbook to Shakespearean Tragedy (with David Schalkwyk).Table of ContentsIntroduction Preface Plot summary Analysis 1. Historical and literary contexts 2. Performance aspects of the text 3. Critical interpretations Resources and annotated bibliography A note on the text The Play
£11.67
Manchester University Press John Hall, Master of Physicke: A Casebook from
Book SynopsisThis is the first complete edition and English translation of John Hall’s Little Book of Cures, a fascinating medical casebook composed in Latin around 1634–5. John Hall (1575–1635) was Shakespeare’s son-in-law (Hall married Susanna Shakespeare in 1607), and based his medical practice in Stratford-upon-Avon. Readers have never before had access to a complete English translation of John Hall’s casebook, which contains fascinating details about his treatment of patients in and around Stratford.Until Wells’s edition, our knowledge of Hall and his practice has had to rely only on a partial, seventeenth-century edition (produced by James Cooke in 1657 and 1679, and re-printed with annotation by Joan Lane as recently as 1996). Cooke’s edition significantly misrepresents Hall by abridging his manuscript (Cooke removed Hall’s conversations with his patients), by errors of translation, and by combining Hall’s work with examples from Cooke’s own medical practice.Trade Review‘a remarkable piece of scholarship that goes beyond quaintness and unintended humour (no pun intended) to offer a convincing composite portrait of a society pitched between atavism and modernity.’Brian Morton, TLS -- .Table of ContentsForeword by Professor Sir Stanley Wells C.B.E.1. Introducing John Hall, Master of Physicke2. Recreating John Hall’s library3. John Hall’s manuscript4. Textual introduction5. John Hall’s Little Book of CuresAppendix 1 John Hall’s working library (a list of his regular, medical sources)Appendix 2 Glossary of medical and pharmaceutical termsIndex
£19.00
Faber & Faber Waiting for Godot
Book SynopsisSubtitled â??A tragicomedy in two actsâ??, and famously described by the Irish critic Vivien Mercier as a play in which â??nothinghappens, twiceâ??, En attendant Godot was first performed at the Th_Ãtre de Babylone in Paris in 1953. It was translated into English by Samuel Beckett, and opened as Waiting for Godot at the Arts Theatre in London in 1955.â??I told [Ralph] Richardson that if by Godot I had meant God I would have said God, and not Godot.This seemed to disappoint him greatly.â??-- Samuel Beckett to Barney Rosset, 18 October 1954All the dead voices.They make a noise like wings.Like leaves.Like sand.Like leaves.[Silence.]They all speak together. Each one to itself.[Silence.]Rather they whisper.They rustle.They murmur. They rustle.[Silence.] What do they say?They talk about their lives.To have lived is not enough for them.They have to talk about it.To be dead is not enough for them.It is not sufficient.[Silence.]They make a noise like feathers.Like leaves.Like ashes.Like leaves.
£9.49
Oxford University Press Much Ado About Nothing The Oxford Shakespeare
Book SynopsisSparkling with the witty dialogue between Beatrice and Benedicts, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare''s most enjoyable and theatrically successful comedies.This edition offers a newly edited text and an exceptionally helpful and critically aware introduction. Paying particular attention to analysis of the play''s minor characters, Sheldon P Zitner discusses Shakespeare''s transformation of his source material. He rethinks the attitudes to gender relations that underlie the comedy and determine its view of marriage.Allowing for the play''s openness to reinterpretation by successive generations of readers and peformers, Zitner provides a socially analytic stage history, advancing new views for the actor as much as for the critic. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth o
£7.59
Methuen Publishing Ltd Dario Fo Franca Rame Theatre Politics Life
Book SynopsisJoseph Farrell's biography gives a complete account of the various activities and multifaceted lives of two extraordinary individuals Dario Fo and Franca Rame.
£22.50
Faber & Faber Philadelphia Here I Come
Book SynopsisFed up with the dreary round of life in Ballybeg, with his uncommunicative father and the humiliating job in his father''s grocery shop, with his frustrated love for Kathy Doogan who married a richer, more successful young man and with the total absence of prospect and opportunity in his life at home, Gareth O''Donnell has accepted his aunt''s invitation to come to Philadelphia. Now, on the eve of his departure, he is not happy to be leaving Ballybeg.With this play Brian Friel made his reputation and it is now an acknowledged classic of modern drama.
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd The Taming of the Shrew
Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare was born in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died in 1616. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.Margaret Jane Kidnie is Professor of English at the University of Western Ontario.
£7.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Merchant of Venice Collins Classics
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.''The quality of mercy is not strain''d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven'Bassiano, a noble Venetian, hopes to woo the beautiful heiress Portia. However, he requires financial assistance from his friend Antonio. Antonio agrees, but he, in turn, must borrow from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. As recourse for past ills, Shylock stipulates that the forfeit on the loan must be a pound of Antonio's flesh. In the most renowned onstage law scene of all time, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare's most cunning heroines, disguising herself as a lawyer and vanquishing Shylock's claims; meanwhile, Shylock triumphs on a humanitarian level with his plea for tolerance: Hath not a Jew eyes?'Viewed paradoxically as anti-Semitic, while at the same time powerfully liberal for its time, The Merchant of Venice is at its core a bittersweet drama, exploring the noble themes of prejudice, justice and honour
£5.02
HarperCollins Publishers Shakespeares Book
Book SynopsisA lively picture of multiple operators scrambling to steal a march on the competition . . . Lavishly detailed'FINANCIAL TIMESThis is Shakespearean scholarship at its best, brilliantly researched yet compulsively readable. It''s a book for our times, enduringly fascinating and appealing to both enthusiasts and the general reader. Highly recommended!' ALISON WEIRFINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE SUMMERA BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023?A BBC RADIO 4 FRONT ROW NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023AN AUSTRALIAN BOOK REVIEW BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023The year 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of Mr William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, known today simply as the First Folio. It is difficult to imagine a world without The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Antony and Cleopatra, The Winter's Tale and Macbeth, but these are just some of the plays that were only preserved thanks to the astounding labour of love that went into creating the first collection.Shakespeare's Book: The Intertwined LiveTrade Review PRAISE FOR SHAKESPEARE’S BOOK ‘A superb evocation of the places, personalities and networks that helped turn the words of William Shakespeare into secular scripture. A brilliant, sinewy, deeply immersive read from a fine scholar and storyteller’ Jessie Childs, bestselling author of The Siege of Loyalty House '[A] significant offering… his mission is admirable: to trace every major step in the collective enterprise, starting from the death of the leading Shakespearean actor Richard Burbage in 1619, which served as a melancholy spur… to collate the Bard's works for posterity… [T]he necessary drama is there' Daily Telegraph ‘Laoutaris’s history of the interlinked careers behind the Folio scheme, brings that network to life . . . His resourceful sleuthing ties the Folio’s birth to the politics of its time’ Economist 'Like Shakespeare's plays, Laoutaris's book revolves around detailed interpersonal relationships. From his pages you will learn about the lives of Heminges and Condell… and many others… trestfy[ing] to the thoroughness of the author's research’ Washington Post 'A must read for anyone with even a slight passing fancy for Shakespeare . . . To say this is a book to be read and reread, and have a place on the library shelf, would be a major understatement’ Judith Reveal, New York Journal of Books ‘[A] brilliant new study of the Folio’s genesis … genuinely thrilling. Shakespeare’s Book offers both wonderful vignettes of Shakespeare’s world and tantalising solutions to long-standing mysteries. Laoutaris compellingly recreates the vital collaborations – and rivalries – behind the printing of ‘Shakespeare’s Book’’ The Tablet ‘Intricately woven, vividly depicted and groundbreaking’ Dr Paul Edmondson of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
£22.50
Hodder Education AS/A-level English Literature Workbook: Othello
Book SynopsisExam board: AQA A, AQA B, Edexcel, CCEALevel: A-levelSubject: EnglishFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: Summer 2016 (AS); Summer 2017 (A-level)Check, reinforce and improve critical skills and textual understanding to give students the best chance of success in their AS/A-level English Literature exams.Containing over 150 ready-made activities for Othello - with comprehensive answers provided online - this write-in Workbook:- Actively develops knowledge and skills as students practise questions that cover plot and structure, themes, characterisation, form and language, contexts and critical approaches- Ensures that every student achieves real progress with activities that gradually build in difficulty, plus additional 'Challenge yourself' tasks to target the top grades- Helps students make the transition from GCSE to AS/A-level, with guidance from experienced examiners and teachers on higher-level skills, such as analysing structure and using literary terminology- Focuses on exam skills with a separate section that includes practice essay questions and advice on: question types; essay planning; writing about extracts and whole texts; using evidence and context- Encourages independent learning as students use their Workbook at home or in class, throughout the course or for revision and exam preparation- Supports the AQA A, AQA B, Edexcel and CCEA AS/A-level English Literature specifications through a wide range of activities suitable for every exam board
£12.62
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Twelfth Night: Third Series
Book SynopsisCritically acclaimed as one of Shakespeare's most complex and intriguing plays, Twelfth Night is a classic romantic comedy of mistaken identities. In recent years it has returned to the centre of critical debate surrounding gender and sexuality. The Introduction explores the multiple factors that make up the play's rich textual, theatrical, critical and cultural history. Keir Elam surveys the play's production and reception, emphasizing the role of the spectator both within the comedy and the playhouse.Trade Review'Brings together into one volume a wealth of textual, bibliographical, and critical scholarship...emplifies scholarly achievement...' Shakespeare Quarterly (2009)
£10.90
Oxford University Press The Playboy of the Western World and Other Plays
Book SynopsisJ M Synge was one of the key dramatists in the flourishing world of Irish literature at the turn of the century. This volume offers all of Synge''s plays, which range from racy comedy to stark tragedy, all sharing a memorable lyricism. The introduction sets Synge''s work in the context of the Irish literary movement, with special attention to his role as one of the founders of the Abbey Theatre and his work alongside W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory. Includes: Riders to the Sea; The Shadow of the Glen; The Tinker''s Wedding; The Well of the Saints; The Play of the Western World; Deirdre of the Sorrows ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsRiders to the Sea ; The Shadow of the Glen ; The Tinker's Wedding ; The Well of the Saints ; The Playboy of the Western World ; Deirdre of the Sorrows
£7.59
Oxford University Press Poetics
Book Synopsis''What is poetry, how many kinds of it are there, and what are their specific effects?''Aristotle''s Poetics is the most influential book on poetry ever written. A founding text of European aesthetics and literary criticism, from it stems much of our modern understanding of the creation and impact of imaginative writing, including poetry, drama, and fiction. For Aristotle, the art of representation conveys universal truths which we can appreciate more easily than the lessons of history or philosophy. In his short treatise Aristotle discusses the origins of poetry and its early development, the nature of tragedy and plot, and offers practical advice to playwrights. This new translation by Anthony Kenny is accompanied by associated material from Plato and a range of responses from more modern literary practitioners: Sir Philip Sidney, P. B. Shelley, and Dorothy L. Sayers. The book includes a wide-ranging introduction and notes, making this the most accessible and attractive modern editioTable of ContentsIntroduction ; Note on the Texts and Translation ; Select Bibliography ; Chronology of Aristotle ; Outline of the Poetics ; from Plato's Republic, Books II, III, and X ; Aristotle's Poetics ; from Sir Philip Sidney's Apology for Poetry ; from P. B. Shelley's Defence of Poetry ; from Dorothy L. Sayers's Aristotle on Detective Fiction ; Explanatory Notes ; Note on Metre ; Glossary of Key Terms ; Index
£8.54
Oxford University Press Shakespeare Made Easy Macbeth
Book SynopsisThe Shakespeare Made Easy series aims to take the fear out of Shakespeare. By having Shakespearean and Modern English facing each other, pupils will find it easier to comprehend the text. Through discussion of the life, work and theatre of Shakespeare pupils can gain a more rounded understanding of these classic works.
£17.33
Manchester University Press As You Like it
Book SynopsisThis book examines the modern performance history of one of Shakespeare's best-loved and most enduring comedies, and one that has given opportunities for generations of theatre-makers and theatre-goers to explore the pleasures of pastoral, gender masquerade and sexual ambiguity. Powered by Shakespeare's greatest female comic role, the play invites us into a deeply English woodland that has also been richly imagined as a space of dreams. The study retrieves the untold stories of stage productions in Britain, France and Germany, which include Royal Shakespeare Company productions starring Vanessa Redgrave, Eileen Atkins and Juliet Stevenson, the ground-breaking all-male productions at the National Theatre in 1967 and by Cheek by Jowl in 1992, and the versions directed by Jacques Copeau in Paris in 1934, and by Peter Stein in Berlin in 1977. It also addresses the four major screen versions of the play, ranging from Paul Czinner's 1936 film to Kenneth Branagh's seventy years later.Table of ContentsIntroduction: this strange, eventful history 1 Play, parts and players 2 Hunting for Arden in Warwickshire 3 Materials of performance: denim and silk 4 Between France and Germany 5 At all points like a man 6 Woeful pageants 7 As we like it Appendix: Major actors and staff for productions discussed in this volume Index
£21.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Romeo and Juliet
Book SynopsisThis major new edition of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy of love argues that that play is ultimately Juliet's. The play text is expertly edited and the on-page commentary notes discuss issues of staging, theme, meaning and Shakespeare's use of his sources to give the reader deep and engaging insights into the play. The richly illustrated introduction looks at the play's exceptionally beautiful and complex language and focuses on the figure of Juliet as being at its centre. René Weis discusses the play's critical, stage and film history, including West Side Story and Baz Luhrmann's seminal film Romeo + Juliet. This is an authoritative edition from a leading scholar, giving the reader a penetrating and wide-ranging insight into this ever popular play.Trade ReviewRomeo and Juliet continues to be a perennial favourite in the English classroom. As well as offering students a clear and spacious text to read and annotate, the latest Arden edition provides a wealth of critical and contextual material - so crucial to today's study of Shakespeare. Ideal for teachers looking to refresh and update their reading of the text, René Weis's introduction combines close attention to dramatic language with a comprehensive overview of the history of the play in performance. However familiar a reader might be with Romeo and Juliet, this new edition will bring a range of fresh perspectives, dispelling some oft-repeated myths along the way. * Dr Jenny Stevens, Teacher and Lecturer in English *... this new Arden is a thoroughly usable edition... Both introduction and commentary are sensitive, sharp-eyed and clear. Weis's account of the play's performance history brings out the excitement of modern productions by Michael Bogdanov and Tim Carroll, and the innovations of Baz Luhrmann's film... this Romeo and Juliet will serve well. -- Duncan Salkeld * Times Literary Supplement *If you are looking for something for your A-level students, particularly to start off study for Edexcel's unit four for A level, this is the perfect edition. The notes are detailed and scholarly, and there are many essays and appendices which students would find useful, including a look at playing the love scenes through the ages and some reflection on the various adaptations and original setting for Romeo and Juliet over the centuries. * Teaching Drama *Rene Weis’s Romeo and Juliet lives up to the high standards of the Arden Shakespeare, with an extensive introduction, expansive editorial glosses, and even a facsimile reproduction of Q1 in an appendix. -- Garrett A. Sullivan, Jr., Rice University * Studies in English Literature, Vol. 53, No. 2 *Prof. Weis' edition of Romeo and Juliet implements a number of important updates from the second Arden edition of the test. With a comprehensive introduction, and in-depth textual notations, it has easily become the definitive edition of the play. * Jarrod DePrado, Sacred Heart University, USA *
£10.90
Union Square & Co. Othello No Fear Shakespeare Deluxe Student
Book SynopsisShakespeare everyone can understandnow in new DELUXE editions! Why fear Shakespeare? By placing the words of the original play next to line-by-line translations in plain English, these popular guides make Shakespeare accessible to everyone. They introduce Shakespeare's world, significant plot points, and the key players. And now they feature expanded literature guide sections that help students study smarter, along with links to bonus content on the Sparknotes.com website. A Q&A, guided analysis of significant literary devices, and review of the play give students all the tools necessary for understanding, discussing, and writing about Othello. The expanded content includes:Five Key Questions: Five frequently asked questions about major moments and characters in the play. What Does the Ending Mean?: Is the ending sad, celebratory, ironic . . . or ambivalent? Plot Analysis: What is the play about? How is the story told, and what are the main themes? Why do the characters behave
£9.49
Nick Hern Books Freeing Shakespeare's Voice: The Actor's Guide to
Book SynopsisA practical approach to breaking through the barriers of restraint and incomprehension when faced with Shakespeare. Taking many of the techniques explored in her international bestseller Freeing The Natural Voice, in this companion volume Kristin Linklater shows how to apply them to the exploration and speaking of Shakespeare’s language. Beginning with exercises designed to break long-held habits and allow an emotional rather than intellectual relationship to Elizabethan language, she analyses Shakespeare's strategies for creating character, story and meaning through figures of speech, iambic pentameter, rhyme and the alternation of verse and prose. Using copious examples from the plays, Linklater offers her readers the tools to increase understanding and make Shakespeare's words their own.
£15.29
Faber & Faber Attempts on Her Life Faber Drama
Book SynopsisAttempts on her Life 17 scenarios for the theatre by Martin Crimp Attempts to describe her? Attempts to destroy her? Or attempts to destroy herself? Is Anne the object of violence? Or its terrifying practitioner? Martin Crimps 17 scenarios for the theatre, shocking and hilarious by turn, are a rollercoaster of late 20th-century obsessions. From pornography and ethnic violence, to terrorism and unprotected sex, its strange array of nameless characters attempt to invent the perfect story to encapsulate our time. Since its premiere 10 years ago, Attempts on her Life has been translated into more than 20 languages. This is its first major UK revival. Attempts on her Life 17 scenarios for the theatre by Martin Crimp
£10.44
Faber & Faber Plays 1 The Birthday Party The Room The Dumb
Book SynopsisThis volume contains Harold Pinter''s first six plays, including The Birthday Party.The Birthday PartyStanley Webber is visited in his boarding house by two strangers, Goldberg and McCann. An innocent-seeming birthday party for Stanley turns into a nightmare.''Mr Pinter''s terrifying blend of pathos and hatred fuses unforgettably into the stuff of art.'' Sunday TimesThe Room and The Dumb WaiterIn these two early one-act plays, Harold Pinter reveals himself as already in full control of his unique ability to make dramatic poetry of the banalities of everyday speech and the precision with which it defines character.''Harold Pinter is the most original writer to have emerged from the new wave of dramatists who gave fresh life to the British theatre in the fifties and early sixties.'' The TimesThe HothouseThe Hothouse was first produced in 1980, though Harold Pinter wrote the play
£17.09
Pan Macmillan Lady Gregorys Toothbrush
Book SynopsisColm Tóibín's Lady Gregory's Toothbrush is a beautiful insight into the life of outspoken Irishwoman, Augusta Gregory.A remarkable figure in Celtic history, she was married to an MP and land-owner, yet retained an unprecedented independence of both thought and deed, actively championing causes close to her heart. At once conservative and radical in her beliefs, she saw no conflict in idealizing and mythologizing the Irish peasantry, for example, while her landlord husband introduced legislation that would, in part, lead to the widespread misery, poverty and starvation of the Great Famine. Nevertheless, as founder of the Abbey Theatre, an outspoken opponent of censorship, and mentor, muse, and mother-figure to W. B. Yeats, Augusta Gregory played a pivotal role in shaping Irish literary and dramatic history. Moreover, despite her parents’ early predictions of spinsterhood, she was no matronly figure, engaging in a passionate affair while Trade ReviewBiographical portraits are too often nowadays smudged in a surfeit of words . . . this one is a brilliant illumination. * Spectator *
£8.54
Oxford University Press Doctor Faustus and Other Plays
Book SynopsisChristopher Marlowe (1564-1593), a man of extreme passions and a playwright of immense talent, is the most important of Shakespeare''s contempories. This edition offers his five major plays, which show the radicalism and vitality of his writing in the few years before his violent death.Tamburlaine Part One and Part Two deal with the rise to world prominence of the great Scythian shepherd-robber; The Jew of Malta is a drama of villainy and revenge; Edward II was to influence Shakespeare''s Richard II. Doctor Faustus, perhaps the first drama taken from the medieval legend of a man who sells his soul to the devil, is here in both its A- and its B- text, showing the enormous and fascinating differences between the two.Under the General Editorship of Dr Michael Cordner of the University of York, the texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation. In addition, there is a scholarly introduction and detailed annotation. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsTamburlaine, Part I ; Tamburlaine, Part II ; Doctor Faustus, A-Text ; Doctor Faustus, B-Text ; The Jew of Malta ; Edward II
£8.99
Penguin Random House Children's UK As You Like It
Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Talia Hibbert, author of Get a Life, Chloe BrownWe that are true lovers run into strange capers'Banished from her ambitious uncle's court, the lovesick Rosalind flees to the forest with her cousin, Celia. Disguised as the handsome shepherd Ganymede and simple shepherdess Aliena, the two soon meet the dashing Orlando forced into hiding by a plot against his life, heartbroken at the separation from his beloved Rosalind. Fooled by Rosalind's disguise, Orlando grows close to Ganymede'. But Phoebe, a local shepherdess, also has her eye on Ganymede. As their hopes and dreams entangle, can everyone get what they want?As You Like It is Shakespeare's brilliant gender swapping, fake dating classic comedy of errors.Discover STAGED, a limited collection of Shakespeare's unabridged plays that celebrates the genius of the Bard and the tropes that continue to delight YA readers to this day.Explore the rest of the STAGED collection:Hamlet With a foreword by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéMacbeth With a foreword by Kat DelacorteA Midsummer Night's Dream With a foreword by Becky AlbertalliMuch Ado About Nothing With a foreword by Holly BourneRomeo and Juliet With a foreword by Jennifer Niven
£8.54
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform Macbeth: Large Print
Book Synopsis
£10.24
Read Books A Lover's Complaint
Book SynopsisRead & Co. Classics presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare''s poem, "A Lover''s Complaint", featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare. The poem tells the story of a young women lamenting her love for a man who once charmed and abandoned her. As she weeps at the edge of a river, an old man approaches, compelling her to recount her tale of sorrow. It was published as a conclusion to the original edition of Shakespeare''s Sonnets, in 1609. Shakespeare's sonnets beautifully explore the themes of love and beauty, time and mortality. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and is celebrated as the world''s most famous dramatist.
£10.99
Vintage Publishing Will In The World: How Shakespeare Became
Book SynopsisStephen Greenblatt's Will in the World is widely recognised to be the fullest and most brilliant account ever written of Shakespeare's life, his work and his age.Shakespeare was a man of his time, constantly engaging with his audience's deepest desires and fears, and by reconnecting with this historic reality we are able to experience the true character of the playwright himself. Greenblatt traces Shakespeare's unfolding imaginative generosity - his ability to inhabit others, to confer upon them his own strength of spirit, to make them truly live as independent beings as no other artist has ever done.Digging deep into the vital links between the playwright and his world, Will in the World provides the fullest account ever written of the living, breathing man behind the masterpieces.Trade ReviewA vast shelf of biographies of the Bard exists, but this is the book I would take with me to a desert island -- Jay Parini * Guardian *A work of wonderful erudition that can be read as an accessible introduction to the social and political milieu from which Shakespeare emerged, and as an elegant guide to the astonishing poems and plays themselves * New Statesman *Both insightful literary criticism and a gripping piece of psychological detective work … Stephen Greenblatt has few equals as a Shakespeare scholar * Metro *A delight, full of new insights and infused with a rich understanding of precisely why Shakespeare’s writing gives us such lasting pleasure … quite superb -- John Simpson * Sunday Times 'Books of the Year' *Thought-provoking … full of unexpected touches … beautifully written -- Andrew Marr * Daily Telegraph *Riveting * Independent *Really gives a sense of being in touch with the man. Greenblatt’s knowledge of the plays and the times in which they were written is so encyclopaedic that he can assemble a convincing portrait of Shakespeare without resorting to smoke and mirrors * Sunday Times *The most complexly intelligent and sophisticated, and yet the most keenly enthusiastic, study of the life and work taken together that I have ever read -- Adam Gopnik * New Yorker *One of the finest recent Shakespeare biographies -- Robert McCrum * Guardian *Greenblatt’s fantastically readable biography of our greatest writer paints a riveting portrait of Elizabethan England * Daily Telegraph *Compulsively readable and deeply imaginative -- Stanley WellsAt last, the book Shakespeare has deserved: a brilliant book written by a virtual eyewitness who understands how a playwright takes the stuff of his life and his world and makes it into theatre -- Charles MeeA tour de force … a book for artists and ordinary people as well as scholars and students -- Tina PackerA wonderful piece of work -- Simon Russell Beale
£17.00
Peripeteia Press The Art of Drama, Volume 6: Othello: A critical
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Faber & Faber Constellations
Book Synopsis''One drink. And if you never want to see me again you never have to see me again.''A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet. They hit it off, or perhaps they don't. They might go home together, they might not.Constellations explores love, free will, and friendship through quantum multiverse theory and honey.Constellations premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, in 2012, and transferred to the Duke of York's. It opened on Broadway in 2015; and at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, in 2021.Nick Payne's gorgeous two-character drama, may be the most sophisticated date play Broadway has seen.' New York Times
£10.44
Oxford University Press Alls Well That Ends Well
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Faber & Faber The History Boys With GCSE and A Level study
Book SynopsisDesigned to meet the requirements for students at GCSE and A level, this accessible educational edition offers the complete text of The History Boys with a comprehensive study guide. Highlights of Andrew Bruff''s guide include: detailed analyses of character, theme and structure; a clear introduction to the context of the play and its author; key quotations and activities both for the student working alone and in the classroom.An unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. A maverick English teacher at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher. A headmaster obsessed with results; a history teacher who thinks he's a fool.In Alan Bennett's award-winning and hugely popular play, staffroom rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence provoke insistent questions about history and how you teach it, about education and its purpose.
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Memory of Water
Book SynopsisShelagh Stephenson is an award-winning writer of stage and radio plays. Her most recent work, Enlightenment, premiered at the Abbey Theatre in 2005. Methuen Drama has published a collected edition of the writer's plays: Stephenson Plays: 1.Trade Review'In Shelagh Stephenson's play, three estranged sisters with a long history of failing to get on convene to make arrangements for their mother's cremation.' Alfred Hickling, Guardian, 1.8.09 'The drama has a fierce, instantly recognisable humanity that is difficult to resist.' Joyce McMillan, Scotsman, 17.07.10
£999.99
British Library Publishing Shakespeares First Folio
Book SynopsisPublished to mark the 400th anniversary of the book's original publication, this facsimile edition faithfully reproduces one of the finest copies held in the British Library collections.
£93.75
Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US King John
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5
£9.81
Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies,US Measure for Measure
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5
£9.81
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Irishtown
Book Synopsis
£10.99
Coordination Group Publications Ltd (CGP) A-level English Text Guide - Othello
Book SynopsisThis superb CGP Text Guide contains everything you need to write better A-Level and Undergraduate English essays on William Shakespeare's 'Othello', all presented in a helpful and entertaining way to make study and revision easier. There are clear notes on the characters, themes, language techniques and critical context, plus practice questions to make sure you understand the main points. There's also a section dedicated to writing about 'Othello' to help you improve your grades.
£10.13
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Jew of Malta
Book SynopsisThe Jew of Malta, written around 1590, can present a challenge for modern audiences. Hugely popular in its day, the play swings wildly and rapidly in genre, from pointed satire, to bloody revenge tragedy, to melodramatic intrigue, to dark farce and grotesque comedy. Although set in the Mediterranean island of Malta, the play evokes contemporary Elizabethan social tensions, especially the highly charged issue of London's much-resented community of resident merchant foreigners. Barabas, the enormously wealthy Jew of the play's title, appears initially victimized by Malta's Christian Governor, who quotes scripture to support the demand that Jews cede their wealth to pay Malta's tribute to the Turks. When he protests, Barabas is deprived of his wealth, his means of livelihood, and his house, which is converted to a nunnery. In response to this hypocritical extortion, Barabas launches a horrific (and sometimes hilarious) course of violence that goes well beyond revenge, using murderous tactics that include everything from deadly soup to poisoned flowers. The play's sometimes complex treatment of anti-Semitism and its relationship to Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice remain matters of continuing scholarly reflection. This new edition is expertly edited with an accompanying introduction that addresses issues of performance, cultural and historical context, interpretation and the key themes explored by the play. Arden Early Modern Drama editions offer the best in contemporary scholarship, providing a wealth of helpful and incisive commentary and guiding the reader to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the play. This edition provides: A clear and authoritative text Detailed on-page commentary notes A comprehensive, illustrated introduction to the play’s historical, cultural and performance contexts A bibliography of references and further readingTrade ReviewA farce of terribly serious, even savage comic humour. * T.S Eliot *Table of ContentsIntroduction List of Illustrations The Jew of Malta Appendices Further Reading Index
£12.99
