Theatre studies Books

Book SynopsisThe English Actor charts the uniquely English approach to stagecraft. In thirty chapters, Peter Ackroyd describes, with superb narrative skill, the genesis of acting – deriving from the Church tradition of Mystery Plays – through the flourishing of the craft in the Renaissance to modern methods that followed the advent of film and television. The biographies of the most notable and celebrated actors are also explored, right up to the present day. In this book, Ackroyd gives us an original and superbly entertaining appraisal of how actors have acted – and how audiences have responded – since the medieval period, and what we mean by the ‘magic of the stage’.

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Book SynopsisThis book gives new insight into acting and theatre-making through phenomenology (the study of how the world shows itself to conscious experience). It examines Being-in-the-world in everyday life with exercises for workshops and rehearsal. Each chapter explores themes to guide the creative process through objects, bodies, spaces, being with others, time, history, freedom and authenticity. Key examples in the work are drawn from Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Sophocles’ Antigone and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Practical tasks in each section explore how the theatrical event can offer unique insight into Being and existence. In this way, the book makes a bold leap to understand acting as an embodied form of philosophy and to explain how phenomenology can be a rich source of inspiration for actors, directors, designers and the creative process of theatre-making. This original new book will provide new insight into the practice and theory of acting, stimulate new approaches to rehearsal and advance the notion of theatre making a genuine contribution to philosophical discourse. The fundamental task of the actor is to be on stage with purposeful action in the given circumstances. But this simple act of ‘Being’ is not easy. Phenomenology can provide valuable insight into the challenge. For some time, scholars have looked to phenomenology to describe and analyse the theatrical event. But more than simply drawing attention to embodiment and the subjective experience of the world, a philosophical perspective can also shed light on broader existential issues of being. No specialist knowledge of philosophy is required for the reader to find this text engaging and it will be relevant for second-year students and above at tertiary level. For postgraduates and researchers, the book will provide a valuable touchstone for phenomenology and performance as research. The book will appeal to theatre and performance studies, and some applied philosophy courses. The material is also relevant to studies in literary and critical theory, cultural studies and comparative literature. The work is relevant to The International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR/FIRT) (Performance and Consciousness), Performance Studies International (psi) and the Performance Philosophy Research Network — an influential and growing research field. Primary markets for this book will be students (both at university and conservatoires) and academics in theatre studies, as well as practitioners and actors in training. The text will be useful to students in units or modules relating to acting theory and theatre-making processes, and which combine critical theory with practical performance. It will also be useful for practitioners of theatre looking to expand or inflect their own methods of approaching performance.Trade Review'Daniel Johnston's Phenomenology for Actors: Theatre-Making and the Questions of Being proves itself as a book that successfully brought forward a uniquely fresh idea of showing how philosophy can contribute to the creative process and theatre-making. It is undeniable that this is relevant to the literature of performance phenomenology as well as its practical use for theatre-makers. Giving attention to the book as being easy to digest while discussing heavy phenomenological and existential themes, even those who have minimal to no background in phenomenology will be able to find this book useful and apply its samples.' -- Bryle Louis T. Dayacap, Philosophia: International Journal of PhilosophyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements A Note on the Text 1. Beginnings: Being There Touching Hands with Being What Is Phenomenology? Performance and Phenomenology Philosophers on Stage Mapping the Self 2. Phenomenology: Being-in-the-World Some Background Terms Space and Bodies The History of Being Destruktion and the Text From Theory to Practice Observe a Walk Observe Stillness Scrutinize an Object Chart a Place Well Known to You Unpack a Place Where You Feel At Home Dissect a Familiar Activity Describe a Person Recount a Time When You Struggled to Communicate Demonstrate a Moment When You Had an Unusual Experience of Time Stage a Life Choice Recreate the Instant in Which Your Life Was Threatened Text-Character-Performance 3. Being-with Others: The Cherry Orchard Equipment Involvement Touch Being Elsewhere Other People Authenticity and Freedom: Antigone Falling Nothingness Moods and Faring Thrownness and Projection Fate and Destiny 5. Time and Resoluteness: Hamlet Timeliness Having a History Being-a-Whole Resoluteness Being-towards-Death 6. Possibilities: Aletheia On the Essence of Truth in Theatre Poetry, Language, Theatre Building, Dwelling, Theatre The Question concerning Theatre Technology Ereignis References Index

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Book SynopsisRedefining Theatre Communities explores the interplay between contemporary theatre and communities. It considers the aesthetic, social and cultural aspects of community-conscious theatre-making. While doing so, the volume reflects on recent transformations in structural, textual and theatrical conventions and traditions, and explores the changing modes of production and spectatorship in relation to theatre communities. The essays edited by Marco Galea and Szabolcs Musca present an array of emerging perspectives on the politics, ethics, and practices of community representation on the contemporary international theatre landscape. An international, interdisciplinary collection featuring work by theatre scholars, theatre-makers and artistic directors from across Europe and beyond, Redefining Theatre Communities will appeal to those interested in the diverse forms of socially engaged theatre and performance.Trade Review'Editors Marco Galea and Szabolcs Musca have gathered together an impressively expansive and international body of essays to create this volume. [...] It will be of value to scholars of contemporary theatre who wish to expand their repertoire of practices and locations in which a diversity of projects are taking place. It opens out a range of readings of community in relation to theatre and performs a valuable contribution to thinking about the complexities of theatre in relation to the communities within which it exists. It also encourages the reader to think about the communities that theatre, and creativity more generally, can build.' -- Alison Jeffers, New Theatre Quarterly'This book, written by both academics and theatre practitioners, aims to facilitate the relationship between theatre and communities via creating a “community-conscious theatre” (Galea and Musca 2019, 1). [...] The inclusion of Malta and Romania has dislodged the book’s central argument from the center to the margins thus enhancing the book’s outreach. [...] The different methods of theatre making from within the communities rather than for the communities is another strong methodological strategy. The honest, candid account of the theatre artists/ practitioners struggle with funding in their performances has not only opened the discussion of a timely matter under the shadow of Brexit, but also reflected the behind-thescenes challenges we are most often unaware of. The rich background of the multiple authors adds a layer to their research and personal experience in engaging with marginalised communities. The book is focused on the teaching of performance as research on multiple levels—it provides innovative engagement tools to cater for different audiences; offers suggestions and strategies on how to deal with cultural heritage, memory, vulnerable groups, and forgotten theatre spaces, and finally, imparts upon its reader a methodological approach for any theatre practitioner on how to revive mythical, and cultural stories by bringing the past to the present to discuss current issues.' -- Farah Ali, PARtake: The Journal of Performance as ResearchTable of ContentsTable of Figures Acknowledgements Introduction Marco Galea and Szabolcs Musca PART I: Theatre Communities: Traces, Places and Belonging Communal Solidarity and Amateur Theatre in Post-Revolutionary Russia: Theoretical Approaches – Stefan Aquilina Theatre in Malta: Which Spaces Does the Community Occupy? – Vicki Ann Cremona and Ruben Paul Borg Performance, Dislocation and Spirituality: Adrift Together – Zoe Zontou PART II: Performing Communal Identities: Ethics, Politics and Affect The Politics of Spectatorship: Community, Ethics and Affect in Contemporary British Rewritings of Ancient Tragedies – Maria Elena Capitani Living and Working in Tepantor: Understanding Political Theatre and the Community– Pujya Ghosh Bodies Without Organs and Organs Without Bodies: The Maltese Experience of Creating National Theatres – Marco Galea PART III: 'Glocal' Representations of Theatre Communities Local and Global Stages: Translating Communities in Hybrid Cultural Spaces –Szabolcs Musca The Economic Communities of the Edinburgh August Festivals: An Exclusive 'Global Sense of Place' and an Inclusive 'Local Sense of Space' – Evi Stamatiou Strategies of Empowerment: Postmigrant Theatre at the Ballhaus Naunynstrasse – Hasibe Kalkan PART IV: Creative Encounters: Changing Ecologies Community and Ownership: Uncovering New Voices at the Royal Court Theatre – Mark O'Thomas in conversation with Vicky Featherstone UrbanDig Project: Theatre for Neighbourhoods – Zoe Zontou in conversation with George Sachinis Community Theatre as Political Theatre: Towards a New Political Theatre Practice – Marius Bogdan Tudor and Ionuț Sociu in conversation with David Schwartz PART V: Emerging Practices: Connecting Through the Digital and the Verbatim New Technologies for a New Audience? Using Transmedia Storytelling towards a New Experience Design Form – Ágnes Bakk Manipulation of Reality Through an Interactive Game: Remote X as an Example of New Modes of Spectatorship – Nad’a Satkova Feeding Back: Verbatim Theatre and/as Communal Practice – Bettina Auerswald Conclusion Marco Galea and Szabolcs Musca Notes on Contributors

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Book SynopsisA seminal study of a historically significant theater style. Unrivaled in its long-term impact, Parsi theater remains a crucial component of South Asia’s cultural heritage. Like vaudeville in America, Parsi theater dominated mass entertainment in colonial India in the era before cinema. Drawn by the magic of sight and sound, crowds filled the country’s urban playhouses each night. Marked by extravagant acting, operatic singing, and melodramatic stage effects, this cosmopolitan theater brought an unprecedented level of sophistication to the South Asian stage and transformed commercial drama into a modern industry, paving the way for Indian cinema. This volume presents Somnath Gupt’s classic history of Parsi theater in an English translation enhanced by illustrations, annotations, and appendices, which make it a more comprehensive and accurate reference work.Trade Review"A valuable book. . . Especially useful are the prefaces attached to original playbooks containing details of authorship, theatre company, dates of publication and the point of view of playwrights. . . . The Parsi Theatre: Its Origin and Development in English translation is a welcome addition to the literature on the Parsi theatre." * The Scroll *Table of ContentsA Few Words Preface 1.Before the Parsi Theatre 2.The Origins of the Parsi Theatre 3.The Development of the Parsi Theatre 4.Urdu Dramatists of the Parsi Stage 5.The Parsi Theatrical Companies 6.Parsi Actors 7.Other Elements of the Parsi Theatre8.The Indar Sabha and its Influence 9.Impact of the Parsi Theatrical Companies Appendix: The Beginnings of Hindu Drama in Bombay and Maharashtra

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Book SynopsisSut mae ysgrifennu drama ‘genedlaethol’ mewn cenedl ddwyieithog a diwladwriaeth? A yw ymdrech dramodwyr yr 1990au i ddychmygu cenedl amgen ac annibynnol ar lwyfan wedi pylu ers datganoli? Sut y mae lleiafrifoedd eraill wedi dygymod â heriau’r oes honedig ôl-fodern ac ôl-genedlaethol hon, ac a oes gan eu profiadau wersi i Gymru? Dyma rai o’r cwestiynau y mae nifer o arloeswyr y ddrama Gymraeg gyfoes yn ymhél â nhw yn y gyfrol ddiweddaraf hon yng nghyfres Safbwyntiau. Mae Llwyfannu’r Genedl Anghyflawn yn gasgliad heriol o ysgrifau, wedi ei guradu a’i olygu gan un o’n dramodwyr mwyaf blaengar.Table of ContentsRhagair Dramodydd ‘Proses’ Datganoli: Sylwadau ar Lwyfannu Cenedl Anghyflawn Ian Rowlands Plethu Diwylliannau Perfformio: Theatr Drawsddiwylliannol Gyfoes rhwng Cymru a Bryniau Casi Lisa Lewis Pwy fuck yw’r werin datws erbyn hyn?’ Y Werin, y Genedl a’r Ddrama Dafydd Llewelyn Menywod ar Lwyfan: Llais y Fenyw yn y Theatr Gymraeg Sharon Morgan Iaith fel Arf, Iaith fel Allwedd: Cyfweliad gydag Aled Jones Williams a Sergi Belbel Hannah Sams a David George Bywgraffiadau Mynegai

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Book SynopsisPresents a comparative study of regional theatre in Britain and Germany during the period of 1918 to 1945. Taking Yorkshire and Westphalia as his two representative regions, this book details the history of theatre in York, Hull, Sheffield, Bradford and Leeds as well as in Munster, Dortmund, Hagen, Bielefeld and Bochum.

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Book SynopsisA Waterstones Best Book of 2024''Marriage to Mike Leigh, the minutiae of working on Gavin and Stacey: it''s a tribute to her range that there''s something here to interest everybody'' TelegraphThe first memoir from the national treasure, critically acclaimed actress and much-loved Gavin and Stacey star.Candice Marie in Nuts in May. Beverly in Abigail's Party. Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Betty in Fat Friends. Sue in Here We Go and Pamela in Gavin & Stacey we can all name a beloved, iconic character brought to life by the magnificent Alison Steadman.Growing up in post-war, working-class Liverpool, the young Alison ever the entertainer would address the world from the stage of her bedroom window, until she got a taste for performing in front of an actual audience at her progressive 1960s drama school. By the time she left, her mind was made up: she was going to be an actress! If only she could conquer the onstage giggling Always pushing boundaries reclining naked on a sofa in her first role, embracing groundbreaking female characters from day one Alison has deservedly found acclaim and recognition, succeeding in her TV and theatre career while juggling family life a difficult feat for any working mother, but particularly for an actress in the twentieth century.From the nervy Mrs Bennet to the robo-dancing Pam-el-aah, Alison has proved herself again and again to be a comedy genius. Here, with her distinctive warmth and humour, she vividly recalls all the must-read moments of a life spent in and out of character.

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Book SynopsisA classic Pluto book published for our 50th anniversary. The book that started a revolution in modern theatre by providing forums through which to imagine and enact social and political change.Theatre of the Oppressed started a new form of theatre which is still practised today. It has been translated into 25 languages and sold over 20,000 copies.Trade Review'An affable intellectual and an effervescent teacher, [Boal] was a theatrical Johnny Appleseed who spent his later years spreading his doctrines of the theater as a land of equal opportunity for professionals and nonprofessionals alike' -- The New York Times 'Oppression, according to Augusto Boal, is when one person is dominated by the monologue of another and has no chance to reply. Boal's life is devoted to giving those who are in this one-down position the tools with which to express themselves and discover a way out of their powerlessness' -- The Harvard Gazette '[His] achievement is so remarkable, so original and so ground-breaking that I have no hesitation in describing the book as the most important theoretical work on the theatre in modern times' -- George Wellwarth, author of Modern Drama and the Death of God 'Should be read by everyone in the world of theatre who has any pretensions at all to political commitment' -- John Arden, playwright 'Boal's terrific energy came from his faith in the creativity, spontaneity and ability of all people, however underprivileged, to change their situation' -- The GuardianTable of ContentsPreface to 2008 edition Preface to 2000 edition Preface to 1974 edition 1. Aristotle's Coercive System of Tragedy 2. Machiavelli and the Poetics of Virtu 3. Hegel and Brecht: The Character as Subject or the Character as Object? 4. Poetics of the Oppressed 5. Development of the Arena Theater of Sao Paulo Appendices Index

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Book SynopsisHistorical Pattern Archive: Women's Clothing 18371969 is the first book of its kind to capture such a wide range of women's period patterns in one book, featuring 83 patterns spanning over a century of clothing.The book offers an accurate pattern of each garment on a 1/8 graph that can be used to scale the pattern up to its original size, drawings of each piece from multiple angles, and instructions about how the original garment was constructed and what materials were used. Capturing research and information about garments that would have otherwise stayed hidden or disappeared permanently due to age, wear, or poor storage conditions, this volume is designed to be a tool to preserve history through documenting vintage clothing.Written for historians, reenactors, costumer makers, and costume designers, Historical Pattern Archive will enable readers to study the history behind each piece, implement their original techniques, and recTable of Contents1. Pre-1850 Patterns 2. 1850 Patterns 3. 1860 Patterns 4. 1870 Patterns 5. 1880 Patterns 6. 1890 Patterns 7. 1900 Patterns 8. 1910 Patterns 9. 1920 Patterns 10. 1930 Patterns 11. 1940 Patterns 12. 1950 Patterns 13. 1960 Patterns

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Book SynopsisAs a figurehead for the literary humanities, and a dramatist whose plays feature fairies, ghosts, and spirits, Shakespeare may not be the first author that comes to mind when thinking about science. Tom Rutter shows, however, that in his plays and poetry Shakespeare made detailed use of the knowledge and theories of the cosmos, the natural world, and human biology that were available to him. These range from astronomical and anatomical ideas derived from medieval scholars, Islamic philosophers, and ancient Greek and Roman authorities, through to the challenges issued to those earlier models by more recent figures such as Copernicus and Vesalius. Shakespeare''s treatment of these materials was informed by the poetic and dramatic media in which he worked; the dialogic nature of drama enabled an approach that could be provisional, exploratory, and tolerant of uncertainty and contradiction. Shakespeare made the early modern playhouse a venue for the production of scientific understanding t

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Book SynopsisThis is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the history of theatre, ranging from Ancient Egyptian festivals to contemporary performance arts. Lavishly illustrated in black and white and colour throughout, this is the perfect book for theatre goer and student alikeTrade Reviewtellingly charts the impact not just of exceptional individuals but of social and economic factors and technological change on theatre. A spread of deftly selected illustrations informatively and handsomely embellishes the text. * TLS *Table of Contents1. THE FIRST THEATRES; 4. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE THEATRE; 8. EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY THEATRE; 12. ORIENTAL THEATRES

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Book SynopsisWhat is a dramaturg? What is dramaturgy? What are the political implications for the way that plays produce meaning in performance?Over the last decade, the role of the dramaturg has become more common in the theatrical process, but it is still a new term for many theatre-goers. Theatre & Dramaturgy offers a working definition of what dramaturgy means, and asks how understanding theatre from the perspective of dramaturgy can help us understand the world around us.This concise study examines how western histories and practices of theatre have functioned to achieve their effects, through understanding dramaturgy as the arrangement or structure of the work in time and space both at the fictional level and in relation to performance. Exploring the relationship between plays and their meaning in production, this guide focuses on how understanding dramaturgy is critical to understanding how plays achieve their effects.Table of ContentsIntroduction What is Dramaturgy? Dramaturgy & Drama Dramaturgical Approaches Dramaturgy & Plays Dramaturgy & Production 1: DRAMATURGY & THE AUDIENCE i. Dramaturgies of Entertainment Acting ‘for’ the Audience Theatricality ii. Dramaturgies of Autonomy Modernism Ignoring the Audience Autonomy & Absorption Autonomy & Landscape Legacies of Modernism A Comforting Convention? iii. Dramaturgies of the Political Naturalism The Epic Theatre Brecht’s Legacy Get out of the Theatre (and into Performance) iv. Dramaturgies of Participation A Plethora of Forms Participation & Politics 2: DRAMATURGY & POWER Dramaturgy & Economy Dramaturgies of Winners and Losers Dramaturgy & Marginalisation Dramaturgies of Imagining Otherwise Theatre & Climate Crisis Coda Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThis 1925 comedy of manners that''s funny yet also unorthodox and unsettling... a celebration of abnormality and at the same time a disquieting study of both the pleasures and the pains of not being able to restrain oneself. - Evening StandardWhen four guests, all invited by different members of the Bliss family, arrive for a weekend at their country house near Maidenhead, they''re expecting a idyllic retreat. But this peaceful promise is quickly trounced when the self-absorbed eccentricities of the Blisses are trained on the guests, who leave the country mansion humiliated and embarrassed.First produced in 1925, Hay Fever is a technical masterpiece, seamlessly combining high farce with a comedy of manners, and delivering Coward his first major commercial success.This new edition is published in Methuen Drama''s iconic Modern Classics series to coincide with the 125th anniversary of Coward's birth and features a new introduction by Michael Billington.

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Book SynopsisThe late-eighteenth century witnessed multiple Medeas take to the stages of Europe, in the Americas, and across the Russian empire. Performances took place in Moscow and São Paulo, in London and Lisbon, in Gotha, Stuttgart, and Venice. This lively collection of essays examines the various reasons why Medea, the ancient mother who killed her own children, attracted the attention of authors, audiences, actors, and rulers in Europe and its dominions during the pivotal period 1750 to 1800, and to what effects. As a migrant and iconoclast, Medea crosses a number of eighteenth-century borders: linguistic, cultural, national, temporal, spatial, aesthetic, ethical, and generic. Moreover, the fact that late-eighteenth-century playwrights, poets, composers, and choreographers all turned to one of the most problematic characters of Greco-Roman antiquity offers a unique opportunity to examine the remarkable flexibility of the reception process itself. Medea therefore functions as an intriguing case study, reflecting a wider context of cultural and political change within Europe and its colonies in the late-eighteenth century. By drawing together eighteenth-century specialists working across multiple languages and disciplines with the reception perspective of classical scholars, this volume brings much rare material from a range of archives across continental Europe to critical attention for the first time. Mapping Medea shows how the eighteenth century made Medea modern, and Medea helped to shape modern performance.Table of Contents1: Anna Albrektson and Fiona Macintosh: Mapping Medea: Revolutions and Transfers 1750-1800 I: Medea in an Expanding Eighteenth-Century World 2: Edith Hall: Pushing the Boundaries of Operatic Convention and European Identity: Generic and Historical Perspectives on Georg Benda's 1775 Medea 3: Larisa Nikiforova: Medea's Russian Images on Stage and in Literature: The Politics and Poetics of Female Characters 4: Anthony John Lappin: An Imperial Medea: Spain, Portugal, the Colonies 5: Anna Albrektson: Inverting the Barbarian: Estrangement and Excess in the Eighteenth-Century Medea II: Local Interpretations and Global Issues: Ontology and Form 6: Fiona Macintosh: From Hearth to Hades: Breaking Boundaries with Medea and ballet d'action 7: Jörg Krämer: Shaping Complexity: Medea in the German-Language Theatre of the Eighteenth Century 8: Petra Dotla%cilová: Visual Narrative: The Role of Costumes in Noverre's ballet d'action, Médée et Jason 9: Zoé Schweitzer: Medea as Infanticidal Mother in the Late Eighteenth-Century Theatre 10: Roland Lysell: Medea--Sorceress or Woman? c.1750 and Beyond Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe lost memoir of Britain’s first Black Olympic medal winner—and the America he discoveredTrade Review“A fascinating historical document, Harry Edward had a sharp eye and an ever-busy pen. Unfailingly frank, humorous, always dignified and empathetic, Edward describes a world in flux, as seen by a Black hero no-one really knows about – and everyone should.”—Hugh Muir, Writer and Editor at the Guardian “The celebration of Britain’s first Black Olympic medallist would merit its own narrative, but that was just the beginning of Harry Edward’s race through life. His story deserves to be told and his experiences should remind us all that we are all equal both in and out of the sporting arena.”—Steve Cram, British Track and Field Athlete “Harry was empowered by his Olympic experience and truly lived the Olympic values. He fought injustice and for inclusion wherever he went. His story is an inspiration to us all and is as relevant today as it was fifty years ago.”—Joël Bouzou OLY, World Olympic Association President “Harry Edward tells the story of a man who fought for justice in the United States – and the world over. His was truly an Olympic spirit.”—Katherine Mooney, author of Isaac Murphy “Such a beautiful, engaging, fascinating book – and to think we had it here at the Amistad Research Center all this time. When I Passed the Statue of Liberty I Became Black is a wonderful contribution to the fields of sports and history. Kudos to Neil Duncanson for getting this memoir out into the world where it belongs.”—Lisa Moore, Amistad Research Center

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Book SynopsisThis ambitious publication draws from the knowledge and expertise of leading international figures in voice training in order to examine the history of the voice from an interdisciplinary perspective. The book explores the historical arc of various voice training disciplines and highlights significant people and events within the field. It is written by voice specialists from a variety of backgrounds, including singing, actor training, public speaking, and voice science. These contributors explore how voice pedagogy came to be, how it has organized itself as a profession, how it has dealt with challenges, and how it can develop still.Covering a variety of voice training disciplines, this book will be of interest to those studying voice and speech, as well as researchers from the fields of rhetoric, music and performance. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Voice and Speech Review journal. Table of ContentsIntroduction – The Emergence of a Profession: The History of Voice Pedagogy 1. Theatre-Voice Pedagogy within the Royal Shakespeare Company: A Historical Perspective 2. A Historical View of the Pedagogy of Public Speaking 3. Historical Landmarks in Singing Voice Pedagogy 4. Make the Door Open: Groundbreaking African American Teachers of Singing 5. A Historian’s Journey with Sylvia Olden Lee and Camilla Williams, African American Opera Pioneers 6. Singing Vocal Pedagogy in the Nineteenth Century Neapolitan School: The Work of Francesco Florimo 7. The History of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) 8. The Rationale and History of Vocology

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Book SynopsisI know now, Kostya, I understand that in our work - doesn''t matter whether it''s acting or writing - what''s important isn''t fame or glamour, none of the things I used to dream about, it''s the ability to endure.The Seagull is one of the great plays about writing. It superbly captures the struggle for new forms, the frustrations and fulfilments of putting words on a page. Chekhov, in his first major play, staged a vital argument about the theatre which still resonates today. Christopher Hampton''s new version of this classic, directed by Ian Rickson in his last production as Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, London, premiered in January 2007.

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Book SynopsisAlready a bestseller, this is a wonderfully entertaining collection of Alan Bennett''s prose writings. Writing Home brings together diaries, reminiscences and reviews to give us a unique and unforgettable portrait of one of England''s leading playwrights. As a memoir it covers the production of his very first play, Forty Years On, which starred John Gieldgud, as well as many other important productions. His television series ''Talking Heads'' has become a modern-day classic; as part of the 1960s revue ''Beyond the Fringe'' Bennett helped to kick-start the English satire revolution, and has since remained one of our leading dramatists, most recently with The History Boys at the National Theatre. At the heart of the book is The Lady in The Van, since adapted into a radio play featuring Dame Maggie Smith. It is the true account of Miss Mary Shepherd, a homeless tramp who took up residence in Bennett''s garden and stayed for fifteen years. This new e

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Book SynopsisSamuel Beckett directed Krapp''s Last Tape on four separate occasions: this volume offers a facsimile of his 1969 Schiller-Theater notebook.Professor Knowlson writes that in these notes ''we see Beckett simplifying, shaping and refining, as he works towards a realization of the play that will function well dramatically. The material reveals a flexibility and openness of approach often considered alien to Beckett''s ways of working in the theatre.'' The Schiller notebook also contains some of the most explicit analysis by Beckett of his own work ever revealed.The revised text incorporates many of the changes Beckett made in the 1969 Schiller production, as well as subsequent changes in later productions. Professor Knowlson worked closely with Beckett over these revisions and deviations from the original are noted and explained in detail.

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Book SynopsisFrom the ''Winner of Winners'' of the Baillie Gifford Prize, a timely and dramatic story of a utopian American experiment, and the self-serving politicians that engineered its downfall.1935. As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's progressive New Deal, the Work Progress Administration is created to support unemployed workers, including writers, artists, musicians and actors. The Federal Theatre Project, a major part of that programme, begins to stage critically acclaimed, subsidised and groundbreaking productions across America, including Orson Welles's directorial debut, a landmark modern dance programme and shows that sought to tell the truth about racism, inequality and the dangers of fascism.1938. An opportunistic Texas congressman, Martin Dies, head of the newly formed House Un-American Activities Committee, successfully targets the Federal Theatre, exploiting rising tensions over communism and creating a new political playbook based on

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Book SynopsisDyeing for Entertainment encompasses a wide range of methods of theatrical painting and dyeing to create beautiful artistic products for theatre, film, TV, opera, and themed entertainment.Featuring examples from renowned international artisans in the field, this book provides a wealth of information on creating and changing colors, prints, and surface textures of fabric using traditional and nontraditional costume, scenic, fine-art, and metal-smithing techniques. It also includes new, safer materials and methods to minimize exposure to toxic materials and fumes. With more than 250 full-color images, this technical manual is designed to guide and inspire new artists in the collaborative art of painting, dyeing, ageing, and slinging blood and bling on costumes that is an essential part of creating characters for the entertainment industry.Written for undergraduate and graduate students of costume design and technology, professional dyers and breakdown artists, and cosplayers, this book can be used as a reference and springboard to create your own magical processes, custom fabrics, and unforgettable costumes.To access the online materials, including printable swatch sheets, a collection of relevant safety data sheets, and a source guide with links, visit www.routledge.com/9780815352327.Table of Contents1. Dyeing in Vein: Safety Precautions and Dye Room Setup 2. Who Can Make a Rainbow? All About Color 3. Ready, Set, Go! Fibers, Additives, and Swatching 4. The Law of Attraction: Fiber-specific Dyes 5. All Together Now! Union Dyes 6. Color Removing: The Undo button of Dye? 7. Beauty is Only Skin Deep: Changing the Color of Leather! 8. The Three S’s: Silkscreens, Stencils, and Stamps 9. Stroke Couture: Printing and Painting With Dye 10. Another Dimension: Paints, Coatings, and Other Embellishments 11. Resist!!! Making Marks with Resist Dyeing 12. Burned Out? Try Devore! 13. It’s Getting Real: Permanent and Removable Aging, Distressing, Breakdown, and Special Effects 14. Arterial Motives: Permanent and Removable Blood for Costumes Glossary Appendix 1: Bibliographic Reference Appendix 2: Cleaning Up: Stain Removal Appendix 3: Swatch Sheet 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

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Book SynopsisThrough the figure of Medea, shows how important violence was for seventeenth-century French tragedy and contextualizes that violence in a longer literary and philosophical history from Ovid to Pasolini.Table of ContentsA Note on Translations and Names | ix Introduction: Coming after Violence in Literature | 1 Medea, a Manifesto | 37 1. Surface Selves: Médée, 1634 | 53 2. The Medean Presence: Violence Unmade and Remade | 94 3. Staying Power: Performing the Present Moment of Tragedy | 120 4. Flying toward Futurity: Spectacularity and Suspension | 143 5. Medea Overlived: The Future of Catastrophe | 174 Epilogue: The Cosmopolitics of Literature | 199 Acknowledgments | 207 Notes | 209 Bibliography | 227 Index | 239

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Book SynopsisThis Element examines why women makers from equity-owed communities (Indigenous, of colour, Deaf, disabled, trans and non-binary communities among others) choose to work with Shakespeare and his contemporaries at a moment in time when theatres around the world are striving toward equity, inclusion, diversity, and decolonization. It details and explores these creators'' processes to learn from them about how to transform plays we know all too well as patriarchy-affirming, ableist, and often racist into vehicles for community storytelling and models for radically inclusive and difference-centred ways of making.

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Book SynopsisWith this new edition of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, author Todd Debreceni presents the latest techniques and special effects in what has become an industry bible. In addition to genre-specific considerations, Debreceni covers the latest gear you will need and details how to maintain your kit, how to take care of the actor's skin, how to airbrush for HD, and much more. With in-depth, step-by-step tutorials, learn how to sculpt and mold your own makeup prosthetics, focusing on human anatomy to create the most realistic effects. This new and expanded edition features updated information on lifecasting, prosthetics made using 3D printing, advanced airbrushing techniques, and new artist profiles, and includes updated images and illustrations throughout. A companion website contains artist profiles that showcase some of the worldâs top makeup effects artists, including Ve Neill, Matthew W. Mungle, and many others. Also included are detailed tutorials led by experts in the field, such as Matthew Mungle, Adrian Rigby, Stuart Bray, and of course, the author himself.Trade Review"The most up to date and comprehensive compendium on the art and science of makeup effects." - Brad Greenwood, Makeup Effects Artist, Senior Lecturer, Prosthetic Effects MA Program, Falmouth University"Whenever I am asked, ‘where do I start?’ I always say the Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen books. Every one of them has something new to learn and benefit from. Todd is constantly updating to keep artists on the pulse of new technology and techniques. A great addition to any artist’s library."- Eryn Krueger Mekash, Oscar-nominated and multiple Emmy Award-winning makeup effects artist and producer"Once again, Todd has put together a book that is essential for anyone going into Special Effects. Everything you could possibly want to know has been put into this incredible book, a book that should be on everyone’s shelf as reference source in this industry."- Sara Seidman Vance, Multiple Emmy-nominated Makeup Artist, Creator and Instructor of Lighting for Make-Up Artists 101©"With Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen, Todd has provided us with the most comprehensive and up-to-date written resource that is a must for the modern day makeup artist. Whether they gravitate towards special effects or not, this is the ‘finger on the pulse’ they should always have on hand. Todd has become makeup's contemporary Richard Corson."- Kerrin Jackson, 4-time Emmy-nominated Makeup Artist, Founder of the Makeup Refinery "I love how Todd is unafraid to embrace the latest techniques of makeup effects, incorporating technologies like 3D scanning and printing into this wonderful edition of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen: Making and Applying Prosthetics."- Rod Maxwell, Makeup Innovation Lead, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"This is my go-to book, my bible of sorts for most things makeup. For someone in healthcare simulation, it’s invaluable for medical makeup and Moulage!"- David Shablak, Simulation Operations Coordinator, Orbis Education and Simulation Tek, Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP), Certified Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist-Advanced (CHSOS-A)"Todd Debreceni is an award winning Makeup Effects Artist and a very smart man. Not only is he following the Dick Smith School of open wisdom, thereby paying it forward, but he’s also embraced the fact that our craft is constantly evolving and that only by sharing that knowledge do we all get to benefit. Wisdom from the best."(from the Afterword)- Bill Corso. Academy Award, and Emmy Award-winning Makeup Artist"Did Todd have to do a 4th edition of this book? No. The previous editions are perfectly good. Is it good that he did and that we get so much new and up-to-date information? Hell YES!"(from the Foreword)- Neill Gorton, BAFTA Award-winning Makeup ArtistBooks about makeup artistry for motion pictures and television written by industry insiders are rare. Todd’s are a treasure. They belong in every serious artist’s library.- Michael Key, Emmy Award-winning makeup artist and Publisher of Makeup Artist Magazine, and Executive Producer of IMATSAs an educator and professional makeup artist for over 30 years, I say without reservation, Todd's books are a godsend. The information is cohesive, complete, and presented in a way that is easily absorbed. The information and techniques are there for the newbie and the seasoned professional. Thank you, Mr. Debreceni; your hard work has made us all better at what we do.-Thomas E. Surprenant, Emmy Award-winning makeup artistThe absolute treasure trove of knowledge contained within Todd’s multiple editions of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen is invaluable for both novice and professional alike. This latest edition ups the ante, proving it a necessity to anyone interested in the special makeup arts.-Joel Harlow, Academy Award, and Emmy Award-winning makeup artistTable of Contents1. Anatomy and Design 2. Making the Lifecast 3. Sculpting the Makeup 4. Breakdown of the Sculpture and Mold Making 5. Casting the Prosthetics 6. Painting and Applying the Prosthetics 7. Punching and Laying Hair 8. Out-Of-Kit and Other Makeup Effects 9. 3D Scanning and Printing for Prosthetics and Animatronics 10. Animatronics 11. The Industry

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Book SynopsisEuripides' Iphigeneia among the Taurians has been a popular and influential text from antiquity onwards. It is a suspenseful drama set on the Black Sea coast in what is now Crimea, which explores themes of family loyalty, Greeks and barbarians, and the nature of the gods. The plot combines an unrecognised meeting between Iphigeneia, now a priestess of Artemis among the Taurians, and her brother Orestes, who with his friend Pylades has been captured and brought to her for sacrifice, with an exciting escape attempt for all three, ultimately brought about by divine intervention. This edition includes a full Introduction to the literary and production aspects of the play, while the Commentary elucidates problems of language as well as interpretation. These combine to make the play fully accessible to intermediate-level undergraduates and graduate students wishing to read it in the original Greek.Trade Review'Any 'intermediate level undergraduate' who is tasked with studying IT should acquaint him/herself with K.'s edition, and consider him/herself very fortunate.' Colin Leach, Classics for AllTable of ContentsIntroduction; Sigla; ΕΥΡΙΠΙΔΟΥ ΙΦΙΓΕΝΕΙΑ Η ΕΝ ΤΑΥΡΟΙΣ; Commentary; Glossary; Abbreviations; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisThis Element draws on critical theories of education, play and identity to argue active Shakespeare teaching is a playful co-construction with learners and holds rich potential towards furthering social justice-oriented approaches to teaching the plays.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Active Shakespeare as critical pedagogy; 2. Critical pedagogy: core principles; 3. Playing as reading the text; 4. Identity and care in the active Shakespeare classroom; 5. Critical active Shakespeare as restorying; References.

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Book SynopsisAfter teaching for a decade in the UK, Petra Kuppers is now Professor of English, Theatre and Drama, Art and Design, and Women's Studies at the University of Michigan, USA. She also teaches on the low-residency MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College, USA, and runs the international disability culture collective, The Olimpias.Table of ContentsSeries editors' preface 1. Going to the Theatre 2. Writing Disability Theatre Histories 3. Making Theatre Further reading Index.

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Book SynopsisKate Elswit is Reader in Theatre and Performance at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, UK, and author of Watching Weimar Dance (2014). She has won four major awards for scholarly publications?the Oscar G. Brockett Book Prize from the Congress on Research in Dance, the Gertrude Lippincott Award from the Society of Dance History Scholars, the Biennial Sally Banes Publication Prize from the American Society for Theatre Research, and honorable mention for the Joe A. Callaway Prize.

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Book SynopsisFocusing on examples from medieval theatre, women's suffrage campaigns, and the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, this is the first book to offer a critical overview of pageant as a dramatic form. By enacting highly selective historical episodes, pageants manipulate audiences' sense of the past. Through iconic music, affecting images, and vernacular forms, pageants express and, in turn, shape religious, civic, or political allegiances. Freely appropriating elements of history plays, patriotic celebrations, opera, and film, pageants create spectacles of sensory overload. Impressive recent scholarship recognizes pageants as public history, but this is the first authoritative account of the origins, characteristics, and techniques of pageants as a theatrical idiom. Performed in sporting arenas, the open air, or purpose-built theatres, these paratheatrical events express identity through what Erika Fischer-Lichte calls the re-theatricalization of theatre. Pageants are intimately connected wTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Series Preface Introduction: Ritual and religious origins of pageants Chapter 1: Pageants in the Middle Ages Chapter 2: Pageants and Power in the Twentieth Century Chapter 3: Pageants and the the Invention of Tradition Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisFinalist in the 2022 Lambda Literary Awards for the LGBTQ Anthology categoryThe Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays for the Stage is the first play anthology to offer eight new plays by trans playwrights featuring trans characters. This edited collection establishes a canon of contemporary American trans theatre which represents a variety of performance modes and genres. From groundbreaking new work from across America''s stages to unpublished work by new voices, these plays address themes such as gender identity and expression to racial and religious attitudes toward love and sex.Edited by Lindsey Mantoan, Angela Farr Schiller and Leanna Keyes, the plays selected explicitly call for trans characters as central protagonists in order to promote opportunities for trans performers, making this an original and necessary publication for both practical use and academic study. Sagittarius Ponderosa by MJ KaufmanThe Betterment Society by MashuqTable of Contents1. Introduction: “In a Trans Time and Space” by Angela, Leanna, and Lindsey Part One: Disembodied Articulations 2. Introduction to Sagittarius Ponderosa: Waiting, Watching, and Witnessing as Queer Praxis in Sagittarius Ponderosa by Jesse O’Rear 3. Sagittarius Ponderosa by MJ Kaufman 4. Introduction to The Betterment Society: Generations of Language: Mashuq Mushtaq Deen in Conversation with Stephanie Hsu by Mashuq Mushtaq Deen and Stephanie Hsu 5. The Betterment Society by Mashuq Mushtaq Deen 6. Introduction to how to clean your room (and remember all your trauma): how to tell time (when you are trans and processing trauma) by Finn Lefevre 7. how to clean your room (and remember all your trauma) by j. chavez Part Two: Fraught Spaces 8. Introduction to She He Me: Witnessing the Revolutionary Mundane: Raphaël Amahl Khouri’s Queer Documentary Theatre by Melory Mirashrafi 9. She He Me by Raphaël Amahl Khouri 10. Introduction to The Devils Between Us: “Challenging Every Memory”: Manifesting Futurity in The Devils Between Us by Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel and Ali-Reza Mirsajadi 11. The Devils Between Usby Sharifa Yasmin Part Three: Familiar/Familial 12. Introduction to Doctor Voynich and Her Children: Cruising Dystopia by Jaclyn Pryor 13. Doctor Voynich and Her Children by Leanna Keyes 14. Introduction to Firebird Tattoo: Transcending Gender to ‘Soar Above the Earth’ in Ty Defoe’s Firebird Tattoo by Courtney Mohler 15. Firebird Tattoo by Ty Defoe 16. Introduction to Crooked Parts: All In and Out of the Family: A Critical Introduction to Azure Osborne-Lee’s Crooked Parts by Marquis Bey 17. Crooked Parts by Azure D. Osborne-Lee

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Book SynopsisA collection of incisive investigations into the ways that 21st-century British theatre works with - and through - crisis. It pays particular attention to the way in which writers and practitioners consider the ethical and social challenges of crisis. Anchored in an interdisciplinary approach that draws from sociology, cultural theory, feminism, performance and philosophy, the book brings multi-faceted ideas into dialogue with the diverse aesthetics, practices and themes of a range of theatrical work produced in Britain since 2005.Topics discussed include:AgeingAusterityGenderMigrancyMulticulturalismAestheticsCompanies discussed include: Theatre UncutLost DogCamden People''s PeopleLungBrighton People''s Theatre Phosphoros Theatre Playwrights discussed include: Jez Butterworth Caryl Churchill Tim Crouch Vivienne Franzmann James Graham debbie tucker green Ella Hickson Charlene James Lucy Kirkwood Simon Longman Cordelia Lynn Simon Stephens Jack Thorne Chris Thorpe GlTable of ContentsNotes on Contributors 1 States of Emergency: Performing Crisis Clare Wallace and Clara Escoda Corporealites 2 Ageing as Crisis on the Twenty-first-century British Stage Siân Adiseshiah 3 Creative Contexts and Crises of Care: Ella Hickson’s The Writer Vicky Angelaki 4 ‘I’m Not Afraid of Being Labelled a Dirty Boring Feminist’: Reproductive Work, Feminism and/in Crisis at the Royal Court Elisabeth Massana Collective action 5 ‘We Need to Make the World We Live in’: Crisis and Utopia in Jack Thorne’s Hope and Lung’s E15 Enric Monforte 6 Peopling the Theatre in a Time of Crisis Sarah Bartley Nationscapes 7 Fields in England: Contemporary English Drama and the Countryside David Pattie 8 ‘Sinking Giggling into the Sea’: Postdemocracy and the State of British Politics in James Graham’s This House and Labour of Love José Ramón Prado-Pérez Contact zones 9 Theatre of Migration: Uncontainment as Migratory Aesthetic Verónica Rodríguez 10 The Crisis of Multiculturalism in Charlene James’s Cuttin’It and Gloria Williams’s Bullet Hole María Isabel Seguro and Marta Tirado New directions 11 ‘Imaging’ Crisis: Photodramas in Focus Elisabeth Angel-Perez 12 Playing in the Dark: Tim Crouch’s Total Immediate Collective Imminent Terrestrial Salvation Stephen Scott-Bottoms 13 Re-membering Assembly Louise Owen and Marilena Zaroulia Index

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Book Synopsis What you want to go back to is your clean, unashamed youth. And you can't.When Chance Wayne left the small town of St. Cloud, he did so with the ambition of being an actor: now, many years later, he returns as a gigolo and the companion of faded movie star Alexandra del Lago. But, can Chance convince the town he did actually make it big, and win over his childhood sweetheart? Or will the mistakes of his past punish him still?Sweet Bird of Youth is Tennessee William's 1959 Broadway hit that explores the social and political climate of 1950s America, at a time where sexual freedom was a topical issue.This new edition includes an introduction by Alison Walls, that explores the play's production history as well as the dramatic, thematic, and academic debates that surround it; a must-have resource for any student exploring the play.Table of ContentsChronology Introduction Development of the play (Williams's state of mind, process and different iterations; collaboration with Elia Kazan) Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts (segregation; sexual freedom; political climate; Williams's other plays) Characters (allegorical names; African-American characters) Setting (St. Cloud; hotel; Easter weekend) Style and language (poetic realism; imagery; music) Themes (corruption/purity; violence; religion; sex; race; beauty; public image; politics) Productions and response (original cast; subsequent notable productions; reviews; film adaptations) Academic Debate Further Study Sweet Bird of Youth Notes

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Book SynopsisWhile most discussions of race in American theater emphasize the representation of race mainly in terms of character, plot, and action, Race in American Musical Theater highlights elements of theatrical production and reception that are particular to musical theater. Examining how race functions through the recurrence of particular racial stereotypes and storylines, this introductory volume also looks at casting practices, the history of the chorus line, and the popularity of recent shows such as Hamilton. Moving from key examples such as Show Boat! and South Pacific through to all-Black musicals such as Dreamgirls, Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk, and Jelly's Last Jam, this concise study serves as a critical survey of how race is presented in the American musical theater canon.Providing readers with historical background, a range of case studies and models of critical analysis, this foundational book prompts questions from how stereotypesTable of ContentsIntroduction - American Musical Theater and Its Discontents Chapter 1 - Racial Stereotypes, Major to Minor Chapter 2 - Beyond the Great White Way: Racial Progress and Black Musical Theater Chapter 3 - We Could Make Believe: Liberal Limitations and the American Musical Chapter 4 - Dance Ten, Looks Three: The Chorus Line and the Color Line Chapter 5 - Who Tells Your Story? Race, Immigration, and the American Dream

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Book SynopsisHurled words. Thrown objects. Dodged burgers.A burger was thrown at Travis Alabanza on Waterloo Bridge in 2016. From this experience they have created a poetic, passionate performance piece based around the ''burger'': the texture, and taste of being trans.Their experiences include verbal abuse, ostracisation and being thrown out of a Top Shop changing room. The piece also explores the black trans experience.

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Book SynopsisThrough a series of arresting vignettes and a collection of nameless characters, Alice Birch examines the language, behaviour and forces that shape women in the 21st century. The play asks what''s stopping us from doing something truly radical to change them?Written in response to the provocation that well-behaved women seldom make history, the play is an assault on the language that has fueled violence against women throughout history. Problematic language frequently attached to women is interrogated, from lazy sexist clichés to the conventions around a marriage proposal. Through doing so, the play rails against the conventions of work, sex, motherhood, aging and love. Revolt. She said. Revolt again was first performed at the 2014 Midsummer Mischief Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon. It transferred to the Royal Court Upstairs and was more recently produced at New York''s Soho Rep.It is published here in a Student Edition alongside commentary and notes by Marissia Fragkou, who locTrade ReviewAlice Birch doesn’t want this work to be unseen. Her angry and frantic play Revolt. She aaid. Revolt again is an experimental work focused on using a feminist voice which is loud; a feminist voice which seeks to change the world not through small increments but through a revolution: through the destruction of language; through the destruction of society... * Guardian *Ms. Birch’s play, which became a hit for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2014, has a way of making you question everything you say when it comes to discussing women and their relationships with men, one another and a world in a state of unending upheaval... Linguistic confusion plagues the frantic souls portrayed... Even the play’s title, with its use of periods instead of commas, suggests the difficulty of getting words out and how inadequate they seem when you do... Yet Revolt teems with the same anarchic fury that possessed Jimmy Porter [in Look Back in Anger] and the same frustrated awareness that there are no easy fixes for an unsatisfactory social system... Instead, Ms. Birch is articulating the alternatives that come to women’s minds in dealing with how they are dealt with — as objects of love and lust, as employees and employers, as mothers and daughters. * New York Times *Acts One to Three are dialogues. Issues of gender language change into material questions of marriage, of women in capitalism, women raped and colonised, women desperate for refusal of the roles imposed on them. By Act Four, everything is deconstructed and there isn’t dialogue anymore... We witness conversations, haunting solo performances, disturbing statements about or directed to women, and a lack of genuine solutions provided in a system that benefits from oppression... In many ways, this play is a call to arms. It exposes the contradictions in simply refusing sexism in words, which is promoted as “revolutionary” by the very agents of the status quo. * Diva Mag *Table of ContentsIntroduction Historical and cultural contexts Scene analysis Critical reception List of key productions Works Cited Revolt. She said. Revolt again Notes

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Book SynopsisThis is the first collection from critically acclaimed playwright Duncan Macmillan, containing the plays Monster, Lungs, 2071, Every Brilliant Thing and People, Places and Things.Trade ReviewDuncan Macmillan’s cracking play is a timely and gripping dissection of parenting and responsibility… This is a play that tests your liberal instincts to the limits. * The Guardian, on Monster *An honest, original and pretty much irresistible tearjerker. * The New York Times ArtsBeat, on People, Places and Things *A woundingly intense two-hander. It is the most beautiful, quietly shattering play of the year. * The Express, on Lungs *If we look to theatre to increase our awareness of the human condition, the evening succeeds on all counts. [...] This talk, which deserves wide dissemination, is better than good: it is necessary. * The Guardian, on 2071 *Heart-wrenching, hilarious... one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression – and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop. * The Guardian, on Every Brilliant Thing *The writing is exquisitely painful. At times it feels like Macmillan has taken one of those little spoons, the ones with the serrated edge, for grapefruit, and scooped something out of you. * The Stage, on People, Places and Things *It is a rigorous but impassioned cri de coeur [...] conveyed in a single voice, founded on a lifetime's experience of the workings of the planet, it has real power. * New Scientist, on 2071 *Duncan Macmillans cracking play is a timely and gripping dissection of parenting and responsibility This is a play that tests your liberal instincts to the limits. * The Guardian on Monster *If we look to theatre to increase our awareness of the human condition, the evening succeeds on all counts. This talk, which deserves wide dissemination, is better than good: it is necessary. * The Guardian on 2071 *It is a rigorous but impassioned cri de coeur [ ] conveyed in a single voice, founded on a lifetime's experience of the workings of the planet, it has real power. * New Scientist on 2071 *Heart-wrenching, hilarious... one of the funniest plays youll ever see about depression and possibly one of the funniest plays you'll ever see, full stop. * The Guardian on Every Brilliant Thing *Duncan Macmillan's cracking play is a timely and gripping dissection of parenting and responsibility. This is a play that tests your liberal instincts to the limits. * The Guardian on Monster *One of the most powerful and painfully funny plays I've ever seen. * New York Times on People, Places and Things *Table of Contents1. Monster 2. Lungs 3. 2071 4. Every Brilliant Thing 5. People, Places And Things

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Book SynopsisRobert Henke is Professor of Drama and Comparative Literature, and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Washington University, St. Louis, USA.Trade ReviewNot since the Cambridge History of American Theatre (1998–2000) has a multiauthored theatre history been as anticipated as Bloomsbury’s A Cultural History of Theatre… Having read all six volumes (1,636 pages), I can testify to the magnitude of their accomplishment. A Cultural History of Theatre is a profound reconsideration of how we understand theatre, its myriad social contexts, and the cultural work it accomplishes… the product of intellectual labor and creativity, and its accomplishments are many. A landmark work in theatre and social history, it illuminates theatre through the lens of culture, and culture through the lens of theatre. * Theatre Survey *All six volumes are aesthetically attractive, with well-chosen cover illustrations in color and numerous halftones throughout. Page layouts with wide margins, good paper, subtitles, generous bibliographies, notes, and index all add to the appeal. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Editor’s Acknowledgements Introduction: Culture, Cultural History and Early Modern Theatre Robert Henke, Washington University, USA 1 Institutional Frameworks: Mapping Theatrical Resources Tom Bishop,University of Auckland, New Zealand and Robert Henke, Washington University, USA 2. Social Functions: Audience Participation, Efficacious Entertainment Erika T. Lin, The City University of New York, USA 3. Sexuality and Gender: The Early Modern Theatrical Body Eric Nicholson, Syracuse University in Florence, Italy 4. The Environment of Theatre: Urbanization and Theatre Building in Early Modern Europe Karen Newman, Brown University, USA 5. Circulation: Aristocratic, Commercial, Religious and Artistic Networks Pavel Drábek, University of Hull, UK 6. Interpretations: Antitheatrical Thinking and the Rise of 'Theatre' Stefan Hulfeld, University of Vienna, Austria 7. Communities of Production: Lives in and out of the Theatre William N. West, Northwestern University, USA 8. Repertoire and Genre: Culture and Society Friedemann Kreuder, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany 9. Technologies of Performance: From Mystery Plays to the Italian Order Blair Hoxby, Stanford, USA 10 Knowledge Transmission: Theatre at the Crossroads of Concept, Medium and Practice Ellen MacKay, Indidana University, USA Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMechele Leon is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre at the University of Kansas, USA.Trade ReviewThis volume is full of information about the extratextual and performative aspects of theater and will be of interest to theater and drama scholars. * Lessing Yearbook *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Editor's Acknowledgments Introduction: Theatre and the Enlightenment Matrix Mechele Leon, University of Kansas, USA 1 Institutional Frameworks: The State, the Market, and the People in the Age of Enlightenment John O'Brien, University of Virginia, USA 2 Social Functions: Audiences and Authority David Worrall, Nottingham Trent University, UK 3 Sexuality and Gender: Changing Identities Helen E. M. Brooks, University of Kent, UK 4 The Environment of Theatre: Power, Resistance and Commerce Mechele Leon, University of Kansas, USA 5 Circulation: Emergent Modalities of Intercultural Performance Mita Choudhury, Purdue Northwest, USA 6 Interpretations: From Theatrephobia to a Theatrical 'Science of Man' Logan J. Connors, University of Miami, USA 7 Communities of Production: Eighteenth-Century Acting Companies Deborah C. Payne, American University, USA 8 Repertoire and Genres: Cultural Logics and the Trick of Theatrical Longevity Lisa A. Freeman, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA 9 Technologies of Performance: Architecture, Scenery, Light Pannill Camp, Washington University, USA 10 Knowledge Transmission: Theatrical Intelligence and the Intelligence of Theatre Daniel O'Quinn, University of Guelph, Canada Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA unique anthology bringing together stories of queer life from international playwrights, these seven plays showcase the dazzling multiplicity of queer narratives across the globe: the absurd, the challenging, and the joyful.From the legacy of colonialism in India to the farcical bureaucracy of marriage law in Kosovo; from a school counsellor in Taiwan coming out as HIV+, to coming of age in an Israel-Palestine coexistence camp, this is a genre-spanning collection of global writing.Contempt by Danish Sheikh (India)55 Shades of Gay by Jeton Neziraj, translated by Alexandra Channer (Kosovo)No Matter Where I Go by Amahl Khouri (Jordan)Only the End of the World by Jean-Luc Lagarce, translated by Lucie Tiberghien (France)Taste of Love by Zhan Jie, translated by Jeremy Tiang (Taiwan)Peace Camp Org by Mariam Bazeed (Egypt)Winter Animals by Santiago Loza, translated by Samuel Buggeln and Ariel G

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Book SynopsisListen to the dialogue: no other American dramatist has this feel for the ordinary talk of ordinary people, or the knowledge of what they do. This is more than a writer''s craft, it is a psychological and moral openness to humanity, an act not of imitating, but of sharing. Sunday TimesThis fourth anthology features Arthur Miller''s two early plays, The Golden Years, a historical tragedy about Montezuma''s destruction at the hands of Cortez, and The Man Who Had All the Luck, a fable about human freedom and individual responsibility, are brought together in this volume. It also features two of his contemporary shorter plays, I Can''t Remember Anything and Clara, first presented on a double bill as Danger! Memory. The latter focus on the importance and dangers of remembering the past, while the early plays, written at the time of the Second World War, mark the emergence of a drama in which public issues are rooted in private anxieties and c

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Book SynopsisLucian Msamati is an actor, writer and director. Born in the UK and raised in Zimbabwe by his Tanzanian parents, Msamati founded Zimbabwe's Over the Edge Theatre Company. As an actor in TV and film, he has appeared in Ultimate Force, Spooks, Ashes to Ashes, Doctor Who, Death in Paradise, Luther, The Hollow Crown (Richard II), The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, The International, Game of Thrones, Gangs of London, Black Earth Rising, His Dark Materials and Taboo. On stage, he has appeared in a large number of productions at venues including the National Theatre, West End, RSC, Almeida, Kiln, Royal Court, Shakespeare's Globe and American Repertory Theater, and notably was the first Black actor to play Iago in Othello. In 2010 he was appointed Artistic Director of the acclaimed British-African theatre company Tiata Fahodzi. Msamati is also a writer and director.

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Book SynopsisFirst, do no harm. How do we defend the truth when no one agrees what it is and many have reason to undermine it?Very freely adapting Professor Bernhardi by Arthur Schnitzler, Robert Icke''s gripping moral thriller uses the lens of medical ethics to examine urgent questions of faith, belief, and scientific rationality.After a critically acclaimed run at London''s Almeida Theatre, The Doctor transferred to the West End in September 2022. This revised and updated edition was published to coincide with the new production.Trade Review‘A gripping moral thriller and a scorching examination of our age.’ * Financial Times *One of the peaks of the theatrical year. * Guardian *Brilliant stuff. And brave. * Sunday Times *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFergus Craig is an actor who's been a regular on a number of TV series including Anna and Katy (Channel 4), Sorry I've Got No Head (CBBC), Star Stories (Channel 4) and Popatron (BBC2), and he has written for Channel 4's Cardinal Burns (Best Sketch Show at the British Comedy Awards), Anna and Katy, Sorry I've Got No Head and a number of BBC Radio shows including Colin and Fergus's Digi Radio.

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Book SynopsisThe first book to attempt to define and analyse the nature of ensemble theatre with case studies and contributions from companies and practitioners around the globe.Trade ReviewEncountering Ensemble draws attention to the reality that ensemble invites and demands from practitioners, students and audience members alike ... For students, practitioners, educators and researchers who are interested in understanding the extent to which ensemble theatre has contributed, and can continue to contribute, towards the purpose and practice of theatre in contemporary society, this book is invaluable. * South African Theatre Journal *This welcome contribution to performance studies provides a rich and significant resource for students, teachers and practitioners. -- Jayne Richards * Studies in Theatre and Performance *A thoughtful, practical guide that celebrates ensemble as an intersection of historical knowledge shaping the relationships we craft both with one another and the audience. -- Rebecca Hewett * Theatre Topics *Table of ContentsPart One: Introduction; John Britton; Chapter 1: Bryan Brown : The Emergence of Studiinost: the ethics and processes of ensemble in the Russian theatre studio; Chapter 2: Amy Skinner: More than the Sum of their Parts: Reflections on Vsevolod Meyerhold's Theatrical Ensemble; Chapter 3: Franc Chamberlain: Michael Chekhov's Ensemble Feeling; Chapter 4: Jonathan Pitches: Star or Team? Theodore Komisarjevsky's early developments in ensemble playing in the UK; Chapter 5: Mark Evans: The French Ensemble Tradition: Jacques Copeau, Michel Saint-Denis and Jacques Lecoq; Chapter 6: David Barnett: The Berliner Ensemble. PartTwo: Snapshot #1: Chris Johnstone: Ensemble; Snapshot #2: Michael Boyd (Introduced by Duška Radosavljevic) :The RSC Ensemble; Chapter 7: Adam J. Ledger: Stan's Cafe: the Vision of the Ensemble; Snapshot #3: Peter Harrop & Evelyn Jamieson: Collaboration, ensemble, devising; Snapshot #4: Paul Carr & Richard J. Hand: Ensemble/Improvisation; Drama/Music: An Experiment in Interdisciplinarity; Chapter 8: Bryan Brown: As important as blood and shelter: extending studiinost into obshchnost; Snapshot #5: Julia Varley: Ensembles, groups, networks; Snapshot #6: Malgorzata Jablonska :Teatr CHOREA: Synchrony in Action; Snapshot #7: Anna Porubcansky: Song of the Goat Theatre (Teatr Piesn Kozla); Chapter 9: Rebecca Loukes: Towards a Syncretic Ensemble? RedCape Theatre's 'The Idiot Colony'; Snapshot #8: Mark Valdez: Network of Ensemble Theaters; Chapter 10: Brad Krumholz: Locating the Ensemble: NACL Theatre and the Ethics of Collaboration; Chapter 11: Paz Hilfinger-Pardo: Building Chartres in the Desert: The TEAM, Collective Intelligence, and the Failure of Ideals; Chapter 12: John Collins: Elevator Repair Service and The Wooster Group: Ensembles Surviving Themselves; Chapter 13: Marianne Sharp: 'Whose Fantasy?' Five Voices on Rachel Rosenthal's TOHUBOHU! Extreme Theater Ensemble; Snapshot #9: Kate Hunter: The Waiting Room: Practicing Embodied Cognition in Performance; Snapshot #10: Frank Camilleri: Ingemar Lindh and the Institutet för Scenkonst. Part Three: John Britton: Introduction; Chapter 14: John Britton: Self-With-Others: Training individuals ensemble; Snapshot #11: Eilon Morris: Collaborating in Time: The formation of ensemble through rhythm; Snapshot #12: Tanya Gerstle: Delicate Codes and Invisible Lines. 'Pulse': An Approach to Training an Ensemble; Chapter 15: Phillip Zarrilli: Psychophysical Training and the formation of an Ensemble; Snapshot #13: Antje Diedrich: Suzuki Training as Ensemble Training; Snapshot #14: Terence Henry Chapman: Ensemble Training and Meyerhold's Biomechanics; Snapshot #15: Chris Johnstone: Narrative Images; Chapter 16: Susan Thompson: Freedom and Constraints: Jacques Lecoq and the Theater of Ensemble Creation; Snapshot #16: Bryan Brown: Birthdays Make the Best Training; Snapshot #17: Patrick Stewart: Where I'll Be On Armageddon; John Britton: Afterword: What is it?

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