Theatre studies Books

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  • Gays on Broadway

    Oxford University Press Inc Gays on Broadway

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA fascinating look at the gay and lesbian influence on the American stage by an internationally-recognized authority on the topicFrom the genteel female impersonators of the 1910s to the raucous drag queens of La Cage Aux Folles, from the men of The Normal Heart to the women of Fun Home, and from Eva Le Gallienne and Tallulah Bankhead to Tennessee Williams and Nathan Lane, Gays On Broadway deftly chronicles the plays and people that brought gay culture to Broadway.Writing with his customary verve and wit, author Ethan Mordden follows the steady liberation of gay themes on the American stage. The story begins in the early twentieth century, when gay characters were virtually banned from productions. The 1920s saw a flurry of plays closed on moral grounds as well as the Wales Padlock Act, which forbade representation of sex degeneracy. While authorities made consistent attempts to shutter the movement, the public remained curious, and after a few decades of war making, a truce broke out when The Boys In the Band became a national smash hit. From this point on, gay theatre proved simply too popular to abolish. With this change, theatre was graced with a host of unforgettable characters - from thrill killers to historical figures to drag performers, as well as professional gays (such as the defiantly effeminate window dresser in Kiss of the Spider Woman), closeted gays, and those run-of-the-mill citizens who don''t reside entirely within the colorful nonconformist identity (such as the two male lovers in the dinner-theatre comedy Norman, Is That You?).Spoken plays and musicals, playwrights, directors, and actors all played their part in popularizing the gay movement through art. Gays on Broadway is an essential chronological review of the long journey to bring the culture of gay men and women onto the American stage.Trade ReviewA gossipy, insightful survey of the (often closeted) gay contribution to American theatre. * David Benedict, The Guardian *I can't think of a writer better equipped than Ethan Mordden to take on this important subject. Erudite, free-wheeling, and dishy, Gays on Broadway brings over a century of gay theater to vivid life-the plays and personalities, as well as the politics and peril of true representation, both on and off the stage. This is a bracing, provocative, and wildly entertaining read. * Jonathan Tolins, playwright, Buyer & Cellar *Filled with passion for his subject, fascinating if sometimes eccentric insights, and delicious backstage gossip. * M. Clum, New York Journal of Books *Several of this collection's essays demonstrate just how high toward heaven the musical has allowed gays to kick. * Raymond-Jean Frontain, The G&LR *Table of Contents1. The 1910s and 1920s: You Mussst Come Over! 2. The 1930s: The Gays Who Came to Dinner 3. The 1940s: The Poet of Big Characters 4. The 1950s: The Body Beautiful 5. The 1960s: You Shouldn't Wear Heels When You Do Chin-Ups 6. The 1970s: Did You Go To Oberlin? 7. The 1980s: Well, Yes, Actually, Yes, I Have 8. The 1990s and 2000s: They're Taking Over 9. The Present: Mr. Albee Never Changes His Mind Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £22.99

  • Fixing the Musical

    Oxford University Press Inc Fixing the Musical

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThousands of shows have opened on Broadway. Why do we remember some and not others?The musical theatre repertory is not composed of titles popular in the theatre but by those with successful cast recordings, movie versions, or even illegal bootlegs on YouTube. The shows audiences know, and the texts and music they expect to hear when they attend a production, are defined by media consumed at home more than by memories of performances witnessed in the theatre. For example, author Doug Reside shows that it is no accident that the serious book musical with a fixed score developed in the 1940s - when commercially pressed and marketed record albums made it possible to record most of the score of a new musical in a fixed medium. And Hamilton, a musical with dense lyrics and revolutionary musical style, would not have been as easily accessible to world audiences if most hadn''t already had the opportunity to learn the score by listening to free digital streams of the original cast recording.TTrade ReviewIn Fixing the Musical, Doug Reside brilliantly excavates what's been hiding in plain sight: how audiences, artists, and academics encounter, engage with, and enjoy musical theatre outside of the performance itself. This indispensable book tells the fascinating and surprising histories of musical theatre's various 'fixed' forms, from published librettos to cast albums, films, bootleg recordings, licensing, and more. Impeccable archival research and a lively, accessible voice make Fixing the Musical necessary and delightful. * Stacy Wolf, Author of Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure and Promise of Musical Theatre Across America *Doug Reside has taken a deep dive into a hitherto unexamined side of musical theater: technology. He goes from how scripts and musical scores were first printed, up to the creation of ancillary materials licensing houses offer to help mount productions. Reside makes us question many of our assumptions while surprising us with a lot of new information. * Ted Chapin, Former President, The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction 1. Printing the Musical 2. Picturing the Musical 3. Recording the Musical 4. The Musical as Moving Image 5. Bootlegging the Musical 6. Licensing the Musical 7. Fixing the Future Index

    1 in stock

    £19.99

  • Everything is Choreography

    Oxford University Press Inc Everything is Choreography

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisGrand Hotel. My One and Only. Nine. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine. The Will Rogers Follies. For two decades, Tommy Tune was the maestro presiding over a string of glittering Broadway musicals that took the tradition of complete musical staging by a director-choreographer into a new era defined by spectacle and technology. He was last in a grand lineage led by Jerome Robbins, Gower Champion, Bob Fosse, and Michael Bennett, but also provided a link to a new generation of choreographers-turned-directors like Susan Stroman, Jerry Mitchell, and Casey Nicholaw. Unlike his fellow director-choreographers, Tune also maintained a successful performing career. His nine Tony Awards (plus a tenth, for Lifetime Achievement) were earned across four categories, not only for choreography and direction, but also as both featured and lead actor in a musical, for Seesaw and My One and Only--a distinction no one else can claim. Tune took the musical forward by looking backward, bringing satiric energy and contemporary style to a trove of show business antecedents--from clog dancing to showgirl formations, from precision kick lines to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers-style ballroom glides. He did the same with his concert and cabaret performances, drawing on classics from the Gershwins, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter and performing them not as nostalgia but as vital, immediate statements of personal philosophy. Everything is Choreography: The Musical Theater of Tommy Tune is the first full scale book about the career of this prodigious artist. It celebrates and examines with a critical eye his major projects, and summons for readers a glorious period of dance, performance, and theatrical imagination.Trade ReviewWe really sense the energy, rhythms, moods, and sounds of the movements, and are able to feel the theatricality of the choreography, and, hence, understand how Tune's staging worked to drive the drama in his productions. * Lisa Jo Sagolla, American Theatre Magazine *Winkler's book is the definition of a page turner. I literally could not put it down, except when I was rushing to YouTube to watch some of the dance numbers he so vividly described ... My appreciation and knowledge of Tune's career grew after reading this book, and I'm sure yours will too. If you love -- and care about -- the Broadway musical, this book is absolutely essential reading. * David Meyers, The Algemeiner *Winkler has written a lively, incisive look at Tommy Tune, Broadway's leading director/choreographer/performer in the latter decades of the Twentieth Century. Free of pretense, Tune served both his shows and audiences with his wit and unique style and Winkler captures it all. * Ken Bloom, author of Show and Tell: The New Book of Broadway Anecdotes *Winkler explains what went right and what went wrong with each production as part of the larger story of Tune's superstar sensibility, triumphing in a period when it felt as if British musicals owned New York. The spectacular research outlines the history of the Broadway musical over a half century. Among studies of how entertainment can be made entertaining, it's a model of reporting. * Mindy Aloff, editor, Dance in America: A Reader's Anthology (Library of America) *Everything is Choreography: The Musical Theater of Tommy Tune is a well-researched, dizzying deep dive into the creative life and theatrical work of Thomas James Tune. * Adrienne M. Wilson, Journal Of Dance Education *Table of ContentsForeword by Geoffrey Block Introduction 1. Broadway Baby 2. Gents and Working Girls 3. Double Feature 4. City of Women 5. A Gershwin Tune 6. A Great Place to Make a Show 7. The Broadway Melody of 1991 8. Song and Dance Man Everything is Still Choreography Index

    1 in stock

    £26.59

  • Show and Tell

    OUP USA Show and Tell

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisShow and Tell is a compendium of the greatest Broadway anecdotes be they gut-bustingly hilarious or bittersweet. They're all here from the mightiest to the lowliest in all their razy idiosyncrasies which makes live theatre into the liveliest of all performing arts. It's all here, two centuries of the fabulous invalid, the American theatre.Trade ReviewShow & Tell is a book likely to find its way into both public and academic libraries, and readers are likely to come away from it much more informed than before... The amount of inside information this book contains is rather undersold by the title, which implies a random assortment of witty asides and gossipy small-talk from and about Broadway life... Although there are plenty of memorable encounters, sarcastic put-downs, near-the-knuckle jokes and theatrical memorabilia (quite enough to help any after-dinner speaker with some material), there is also a generous store of knowledge about Broadway shows and theatre. * Stuart Hannabuss (Independent Reviewer and Researcher, Aberdeen, UK); Reference Reviews Volume 31, Number 6, 2017 *Ken Bloom, an aficionado of all things Broadway, has put together a book of choice remarks or insights into the world of theatrical entertainment and it is a hoot. * Nick Wakeham, Musical Theatre Review *there are some corkers ... * Brian Viner, Daily Mail *Ken Bloom, an aficionado of all things Broadway, has put together a book of choice remarks or insights into the world of theatrical entertainment and it is a hoot. ... a delicious compendium of theatrical gold. ... Love it! * Nick Wakeham, Musical Theatre Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Personalities The Idea Writing the Show Naming the Show Songs Producing the Show Auditions Rehearsals Out of Town Theatres Previews Opening Night Critics Box Office Audiences Superstitions Publicity Stunts Performing the Show Tragedies Quotes Bibliography

    Out of stock

    £15.19

  • Nothing Like a Dame

    Oxford University Press Inc Nothing Like a Dame

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisNothing Like a Dame captures the stories and insights of the greatest living female actors of the American musical theatre in exclusive interviews, accompanied by a terrific selection of photographs of the interviewees in their iconic roles.Trade ReviewA fascinating and remarkably authentic collection of conversations with theatre aristocracy. * John Kander *Table of ContentsContents ; Foreword by Elaine Page ; Introduction ; 1. Elaine Stritch ; 2. Carol Channing ; 3. Chita Rivera ; 4. Donna McKechnie ; 5. Angela Lansbury ; 6. Leslie Uggams ; 7. Judy Kaye ; 8. Betty Buckley ; 9. Patti LuPone ; 10. Bebe Neuwirth ; 11. Donna Murphy ; 12. Lillias White ; 13. Karen Ziemba ; 14. Debra Monk ; 15. Victoria Clark ; 16. Audra McDonald ; 17. Kristin Chenoweth ; 18. Idina Menzel ; 19. Sutton Foster ; 20. Laura Benanti ; 21. Tonya Pinkins online on the companion website ; Acknowledgements ; Index

    Out of stock

    £22.32

  • Tell it to the World

    Oxford University Press Inc Tell it to the World

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat happens when Broadway goes abroad? Tell It to the World: The Broadway Musical Abroad offers a look at how the Broadway musical travels the world, influencing and even transforming local practices and traditions. It traces especially how the musical has been indigenized in South Korea and Germany, the commercial centers for Broadway musicals in East Asia and continental Europe. Both countries were occupied after World War II by the United States, which disseminated U.S. American popular music, jazz, movies, and musical theatre in the belief that these nations needed to rebuild their cultures in accordance with U.S. guidelines. By the 1990s, Broadway imports had become phenomenally popular in Seoul and Hamburg while home-grown musicals proliferated that adapted and transformed the prototypes that had been disseminated by the U.S. Although this book focuses on recent musicals, it also looks back through the twentieth century to plot the evolution of musical theatre in South Korea and

    1 in stock

    £22.99

  • Oz and the Musical

    Oxford University Press Inc Oz and the Musical

    Book SynopsisFrom the first stage production of The Wizard of Oz in 1902, to the classic MGM film (1939), to the musicals The Wiz (1975) and Wicked (2003), L. Frank Baum''s children''s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) has served as the basis for some of the most popular musicals on stage and screen. In this book, musical theater scholar Ryan Bunch draws on his personal experience as an Oz fan to explore how a story that has been hailed as the American fairy tale serves as a guide for thinking about the art form of the American musical and how both reveal American identity to be a utopian performance.Show by show, Bunch highlights the forms and conventions of each musical work as practiced in its time and context-such as the turn-of-the-century extravaganza, the classical Hollywood film musical, the Black Broadway musical of the 1970s, and the twenty-first-century mega-musical. He then shows how the journey of each show teaches participants and audiences something about how to act American wiTrade ReviewBringing together his expertise in American musical theatre and childhood studies, Bunch walks readers through a culturally-grounded understanding of the world of Oz as found in books, on stages, on screens, in homes, and in communities. Deep scholarship and deep engagement with fan culture create a persuasive reading of the Oz fairy tale as quintessentially American, consciously performative, and full of a kind of theatrical humbug that makes the story perpetually adaptable and reflective of our changing society. * Dr. Jessica Sternfeld, Associate Professor of Music, Chapman University *Oz and the Musical beautifully analyzes the utopian possibility of the Oz story in forging a sense of American belonging. Exploring the form of the musical and its participatory potential, Bunch embraces the value of make believe and the performative to American inclusiveness. In engaging, lively prose, he reads Oz, The Wiz, and Wicked as fabulous expressions of the variety of the American imagination. * Katharine Capshaw, Professor of English and Africana Studies Affiliate, University of Connecticut *Table of ContentsAbout the Companion Website Acknowledgments Illustrations Introduction: The Fairy Tale, the Musical, and "America" 1. The Man Behind the Curtain: L. Frank Baum's Theatrical Fairy Tale 2. My Own Backyard: MGM's The Wizard of Oz 3. Easing Down the Road: The Soul of The Wiz 4. Wicked: The Witch's Turn 5. "And Then There Was Oz Again": Making Believe Between Oz and Home Epilogue: What Have You Learned, Dorothy? Notes Bibliography Index

    £26.59

  • A Wonderful Guy

    Oxford University Press Inc A Wonderful Guy

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn A Wonderful Guy, Eddie Shapiro sits down for intimate, career-encompassing conversations with nineteen of Broadway's most prolific and fascinating leading men. Full of detailed stories and reflections, the talks dig deep into each actor's career; together, these chapters tell the story of what it means to be a leading man on Broadway over the past fifty years.Trade ReviewThe conversations and stories, so generously told by these beautiful gentlemen, provide a moving glimpse into the complicated lives of artists. * Bebe Neuwirth *Of course the dish is delicious, but Eddie has gotten into the hearts and brains of these Wonderful Guys. As with his book, Nothing Like a Dame, I came for the great showbiz stories, but my take always were philosophies about working in the theater, and loving portraits of men who've given their lives to that most seductive mistress: the stage! * Michael Urie *Reading Eddie Shapiro's interviews with these gentlemen of the theatre was like being with them at their shrink sessions, in the confessional booth and at a table at Joe Allen's all at the same time. The next time I see these guys I will feel like I've seen them all naked, I don't know if Eddie Shapiro should be applauded or arrested! But good Lord, it made for a great read! Bravo! * Marc Shaiman *These inspiring conversations show how and why these are truly great men of the theater and great guys, many of whom I have had the honor to work with and call my friends. Enjoy the adventures of these fellas! * Chita Rivera *Eddie Shapiro asks the right questions, sometimes the really hard ones, sometimes the ego-boosting-leading ones we hoped he would ask, but always the right ones, the honest ones that get inside these wonderful guys. I learned so much I never knew! * Kelli O'Hara *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Joel Grey 2. John Cullum 3. Len Cariou 4. Ben Vereen 5. Michael Rupert 6. Terrence Mann 7. Howard mcGillin 8. Brian Stokes Mitchell 9. Marc Kudisch 10. Michael Cerveris 11. Norm Lewis 12. Will Chase 13. Christopher Sieber 14. Norbert Leo Butz 15. Christian Borle 16. Raul Esparza 17. Gavin Creel 18. Cheyenne Jackson 19. Jonathan Groff Index

    1 in stock

    £31.49

  • Tragedy

    Oxford University Press Tragedy

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat do we mean by ''tragedy'' in present-day usage? When we turn on the news, does a report of the latest atrocity have any connection with the masterpieces of Sophocles, Shakespeare and Racine? What has tragedy been made to mean by dramatists, story-tellers, critics, philosophers, politicians and journalists over the last two and a half millennia? Why do we still read, re-write, and stage these old plays? This book argues for the continuities between ''then'' and ''now''. Addressing questions about belief, blame, mourning, revenge, pain, witnessing, timing and ending, Adrian Poole demonstrates the age-old significance of our attempts to make sense of terrible suffering.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review'Oxford's always stimulating Very Short Introductions series.' * Independent on Sunday *Table of Contents1. Who needs it? ; 2. Once upon a time ; 3. The living dead ; 4. Who's to blame? ; 5. Big ideas ; 6. No laughing matter ; 7. Words, words, words ; 8. Good timing ; 9. Pain and gain

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Antigone and other Tragedies

    Oxford University Press Antigone and other Tragedies

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisThese original and distinctive verse translations convey the vitality of Sophocles' poetry and the vigour of the plays in performance, doing justice to both the sound of the poetry and the theatricality of the tragedies.Trade ReviewMy enthusiasm is undiminished ... a notable achievement. * Malcolm Heath, Greece & Rome *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Priorities of this Translation Notes on text, spellings, stage-directions etc Selected Bibliography Antigone Deianeira Electra Explanatory Notes

    5 in stock

    £6.30

  • Early Modern Drama at the Universities

    Oxford University Press Early Modern Drama at the Universities

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the first history of Oxford and Cambridge drama during the Tudor and Stuart period. It guides the reader through the theatrical worlds of Englands universities in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Early Modern Drama at the Universities opens up an exciting and challenging body of evidence and offers the reader a choice of three inroads into the corpus: institutions, intertexts, and individuals. How to get noticed at university? How to get into university in the first place, or a job afterwards? Sandis pinpoints the skills that were required for success and the role of playwriting and performance in the development of those skills. We follow Oxford and Cambridge students along their educational journeyfrom schoolboys to scholars to graduates in the workplace. For the first time, we see the extent to which institutional culture made the drama what it was: pedagogically-inspired, homosocial, and self-reflexive. It was primarily on a college level that students lived, workedTable of ContentsIntroduction PART I: INSTITUTIONS 1: Shared backgrounds and cultural pathways: from school to university 2: Young male bodies and a community in costume PART II. INTERTEXTS 3: Scholar-soldiers take on Roman comedy: Role-playing as the miles glorious 4: From bitesize morsels to Thyestean feasts: The competitive world of Senecan revenge tragedy PART III. INDIVIDUALS 5: Proof is in the performance: Dramatic overtures to patrons and employers 6: University drama in print: Curating your image and shaping your story Epilogue: A Coming of Age

    Out of stock

    £87.00

  • The Oxford Handbook of Scottish Theatre

    Oxford University Press The Oxford Handbook of Scottish Theatre

    Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of Scottish Theatre tells the story of drama and performance in Scotland from the earliest medieval traces of folk plays and royal ceremonies right up to the challenges of the present post-pandemic moment in the professional theatre.

    £152.95

  • Shakespeares Blank Verse

    Oxford University Press Shakespeares Blank Verse

    Book SynopsisShakespeare''s Blank Verse: An Alternative History is a study both of Shakespeare''s versification and of its place in the history of early modern blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter). It ranges from the continental precursors of English blank verse in the early sixteenth century through the drama and poetry of Shakespeare''s contemporaries to the editing of blank verse in the eighteenth century and beyond. Alternative in its argumentation as well as its arguments, Shakespeare''s Blank Verse tries out fresh ways of thinking about meter--by shunning doctrinaire methods of apprehending a writer''s versification, and by reconnecting meter to the fundamental literary, dramatic, historical, and social questions that animate Shakespeare''s drama.

    £27.54

  • Mapping Medea

    Oxford University Press Mapping Medea

    2 in stock

    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

    2 in stock

    £83.00

  • Shakespeare and Science

    Oxford University Press Shakespeare and Science

    1 in stock

    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

    1 in stock

    £47.50

  • American Musical Theater

    OUP India American Musical Theater

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £101.64

  • A Fine Romance Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in

    Oxford University Press Inc A Fine Romance Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow do we compare a Broadway musical to its Hollywood counterpart? A Fine Romance: Adapting Broadway to Hollywood in the Studio System Era answers this question by exploring the symbiotic relationship between a dozen Broadway musicals and their Hollywood film adaptations. From enduring classics like Oklahoma!, Brigadoon, and West Side Story to lesser-known gems such as Cabin in the Sky, Call Me Madam, and Silk Stockings, author Geoffrey Block examines some of the best loved stage and screen musicals of all time as well as neglected works that deserve our attention and respect.Block delves into what happens during the transfer of stories from stage to film, the critical criteria that motivates decisions to alter or preserve stage elements when adapting to film, and the dramatic and musical consequences at play in these artistic and commercial choices. In telling this story, A Fine Romance engages with aesthetic and critical concerns while also considering the social issues around Broadway and Hollywood film through the lenses of race and ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual identity. Beginning with the stage debut of Show Boat in 1927 and concluding with the release of Bob Fosse''s cinematic re-envisioning of Cabaret nearly a half century later in 1972, the romance between Broadway and Hollywood was frequently turbulent. Differing commercial and aesthetic models and goals of Broadway and Hollywood created both conflicting and harmonious collaborations. Attempts at economic and artistic domination, irreconcilable differences, and occasional broken promises ensued. At other times, the screen and stage creative teams aligned, resulting in well-crafted, much admired, and frequently breathtaking films.Trade ReviewA Fine Romance, Geoffrey Block's excellent new book from Oxford University Press. * Peter Filichia, Broadway Select *In this lively and illuminating book, Geoffrey Block reveals the often productive but sometimes fraught relationship between the Broadway musical and the Hollywood studio system that brought it to the big screen. The volume is packed with new information and revealing analysis that will make the reader want to return to it time and again. A showstopper among the scholarship on the American musical! * Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, Professor of Musicology at the University of Sheffield and author of Loverly: The Life and Times of "My Fair Lady" *A quarter of a century ago, Geoffrey Block's Enchanted Evenings opened a door for the serious study of American musical theater. Now, this pioneering and prolific scholar has produced another compelling and meticulous exploration of the musical, bringing unusual empathy and enthusiasm for both stage and screen, and again offering a vivid and inspiring model for future work. * Jeffrey Magee, author of Irving Berlin's American Musical Theater *Geoffrey Block's A Fine Romance makes meticulous, detailed comparisons between the stage and screen versions of 12 musicals that shaped American popular culture. The film versions of these musicals brought their stories, songs, and dances to more audiences than the theater versions ever could. Rather than assuming the inferiority of the film versions because of their commercialism or broad appeal, Block gives them an open-minded treatment. He notes that the medium of film is different from the stage and reveals the many ways that artists took advantage of this to create film adaptations that merit serious treatment and admiration. In reading the book I gained a deeper appreciation of the versatility of the musical as a genre. * Kara Gardner, author of Agnes de Mille: Telling Stories in Broadway Dance *A Fine Romance in a seminar-style course on musicals. All in all, Block's most recent entry in his influential body of musical-theater scholarship continues his innovative and thorough research in the field. * Megan Woller, Notes: the Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association vol. 80 *Table of ContentsPreface 1. The Hollywood Studio System and a Brief Survey of Film Adaptations from Show Boat to Cabaret 2. Surviving in the 1930s Movie Studio Jungle: Jerome Kern and Show Boat, The Cat and the Fiddle, and Roberta 3. Challenging the Hollywood Studio Model: On the Town vs. Call Me Madam 4. 1940s Stage Musicals and Their Screen Adaptations: Cabin in the Sky, Brigadoon, and Oklahoma! 5. More Than a

    2 in stock

    £23.27

  • Broadway Bodies A Critical History of Conformity

    Oxford University Press Inc Broadway Bodies A Critical History of Conformity

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBroadway Bodies offers a new telling of Broadway history, exploring how ability, sexuality, and size intersect with gender, race, and ethnicity in casting and performance. Author Ryan Donovan unpacks Broadway's inclusion of various forms of embodied difference while exposing its simultaneous ambivalence toward non-conforming bodies.Trade ReviewSkillfully written in sharp, crystalline prose, the book comprises three case studies, each taking a deep dive into a musical whose casting demonstrates a particular type of body bias, then explicating that bias in a follow up chapter via other relevant shows. * Lisa Jo Sagolla, American Theatre *Ryan Donovan's fascinating and groundbreaking book explores what Broadway musical theatre hides in plain sight: bodies on stage and the politics of casting some bodies and not others. Through impeccable historical research, probing interviews, incisive performance analysis, and vivid firsthand experience, Donovan offers a new history of Broadway musicals that shines a light on the industry's troubling and often shocking casting practices. This essential-reading volume unearths how size, ability, and sexuality delimit the 'Broadway body' and mask casting's misogyny, racism, ableism, and fat phobia. * Stacy Wolf, Princeton University *Ryan Donovan's book immediately shifts the conversation on how we talk about musical theatre. Broadway Bodies is deeply knowledgeable, politically astute, and highly readable. I loved the book's clarity and purpose—this is a must-read for theatre and performance scholars and for anyone who cares about American theatre. * David Roman, University of Southern California *Broadway Bodies is a wake-up call for anyone interested in equity. It requires that we ponder what it is about ourselves that we really want our American musical theatre to reflect. * Lisa Jo Sagolla, American Theatre *Broadway Bodies, while eminently readable, is dense with sociopolitical context, historical research, and data surrounding casting practices. For those who study bodies in representation, specifically in the context of performance, this volume is a welcome contribution and is certain to serve as an anchor in this growing field. * Jennifer-Scott Mobley, Fat Studies *Donovan's well-analyzed arguments on unresolved problems of access and his profound understanding of the form lead the way. This treatise has much to offer and raises the prospect of a similar examination of nonmusical theater forms. * Choice *Table of ContentsPart I: Broadway Bodies Introduction: The Broadway Body 1. "I Saw What They Were Hiring": Casting and Recasting A Chorus Line Part II: Size 2. Dreamgirls, Size, and the Body Politics of Padding 3. "Must Be Heavyset": Casting Fat Women in Broadway Musicals Part III: Sexuality 4. La Cage aux Folles and Playing Gay 5. "Keeping It Gay" on The Great White Way Part IV: Ability 6. Deaf West's Awakening of Broadway 7. Musicals, Physical Difference, and Disability Epilogue: Recasting Broadway Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £26.12

  • How to Market the Arts A Practical Approach for

    Oxford University Press Inc How to Market the Arts A Practical Approach for

    Book SynopsisIn How to Market the Arts: A Practical Approach for the 21st Century, expert authors Anthony Rhine and Jay Pension provide a new and practical paradigm to explain how nonprofit arts marketing can and should work.Trade ReviewThis is a much-needed resource and exploration of what it takes to promote the nonprofit arts sector at this time of change and transformation. Rhine and Pension have created a new approach, not only to how we sell our work, but how we can view the process of making and selling more holistically, as two halves of the same necessary whole. * Melia Bensussen, Artistic Director, Hartford Stage & Professor, Emerson College *This book proposes a compelling new approach that transforms conventional marketing paradigms into a more flexible and appropriate framework for nonprofit arts organizations. By redefining notions of marketing and "engagement," the authors help us see that the art we create and present is not an end in itself, but rather a powerful vehicle to serve our community and transform the world. Artists and arts administrators alike should take notice. * Jeffrey Nytch, author of The Entrepreneurial Muse: Inspiring Your Career in Classical Music *Through a practical lens, Rhine and Pension provide the reader with a clear understanding on marketing and engagement. The text covers a complete range of topics fundamental to the four Ps of marketing to the four Es of engagement. This invaluable resource is not only effective for performing arts administrators, but also business and management students, liberal arts students, and anyone enrolled in a leadership program. Their theoretical approach emphasizes a review of nonprofit arts, as well as useful steps an organization might take to increase its visibility and appeal. * James A. Filippelli, Associate Professor of Fine and Performing Arts, Dominican University, located in Rockland County, New York *Education, experience, engagement, environment, and ease of access complete the model for success. This book clearly develops a new approach to marketing the arts and, as a result, will prove beneficial for all. * James Filipelli, Dominican University New York *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Part 1: Marketing Versus Engagement Chapter 1: Setting the Stage: A Shift from Traditional Marketing Chapter 2: Engagement Part 2: Education Chapter 3:Contrasting Frameworks: Promotion and Education Chapter 4: Promotion and the Arts Chapter 5: Education and the Arts Part 3: Experience Chapter 6: Contrasting Frameworks: Product and Experience Chapter 7: Product and the Arts Chapter 8: Experience and the Arts Part 4: Environment Chapter 9: Contrasting Frameworks: Place and Environment Chapter 10: Place and the Arts Chapter 11: Environment and the Arts Part 5: Ease of Access Chapter 12: Contrasting Frameworks: Price and Ease of Access Chapter 13: Price and the Arts Chapter 14: Ease of Access and the Arts Conclusion: Piecing Everything Together

    £26.59

  • Singing Utopia

    Oxford University Press Inc Singing Utopia

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisSinging Utopia is a unique and ambitious work which asks us to listen differently to voice in musical theatre. Across fifteen case studies from Florodora to Hadestown, Ben Macpherson hears something utopian in the extraordinary, emotional, and situational directness of singing voices as they escape the confines of everyday life. Yet, as this book discovers, the very nature of utopia is paradoxical, fraught with undercurrents of nostalgia, melancholy, and the perpetual threat of the dystopian. Singing Utopia listens across these fault lines in our understanding of utopia and asks what it means for a musical to give voice to an imagined world which is always a contradiction in terms. Who gets to inhabit such a world? Who is excluded? How can we locate utopia in musical theatre voices, and what might be the consequences when its complexities are exposed?Listening for answers to these questions, implicitly connected with concerns of class, race, gender, and culture, the author draws on a diverse range of approaches, including voice studies, musicology, sound studies, literary studies, political philosophy, and ethnography. In doing so, Singing Utopia examines current ways of listening while moving beyond them to develop a series of new terms, including ''decadent appropriation'', ''simuloquism'', two kinds of ''voiceworld'', and three new approaches to the chorus and ensemble. This book offers an original and provocative account of musical theatre singing, exposing the power, possibilities, and paradoxes heard in voices that promise ''something better''-whatever, in the end, that might be.

    2 in stock

    £35.29

  • Heres to the Ladies

    Oxford University Press Inc Heres to the Ladies

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA fascinating look at the careers of some of Broadway''s greatest female performers in their own wordsIn Here''s to the Ladies, the follow-up to Nothing Like a Dame: Conversations with the Great Women of Musical Theater, theatre journalist Eddie Shapiro sits down for intimate, career-encompassing conversations with yet more of Broadway''s most prolific and fascinating leading women. Full of detailed stories and reflections, his conversations with such luminaries as Barbara Cook, Kelli O''Hara, Heather Headley, Faith Prince, Stephanie J. Block, Tonya Pinkins, and a host of others dig deep into each actor''s career -together, these chapters tell the story of what it means to be a leading lady on Broadway over the past fifty years. Alan Cumming described Nothing Like a Dame as an encyclopedia of modern musical theatre via a series of tender meetings between a diehard fan and his idols. Because of Eddie Shapiro''s utter guilelessness, these women open up and reveal more than they ever haveTrade ReviewEddie Shapiro has gathered the best in business for another fascinating collection of interviews. Reading his work is like sitting down with old friends, where the conversation is easy and the laughs are plenty. This backstage tour de force is one of my all-time favorites and a must-have for any theater loverâs library. * Susan Stroman, LGBTQ+ Studies *Table of Contents1. Barbara Cook 2. Tonya Pinkins 3. Faith Prince 4. Charlotte D'Amboise 5. Mary Beth Peil 6. Judy Kuhn 7. Beth Leavel 8. Carolee Carmello 9. Rachel York 10. Melissa Errico 11. Alice Ripley 12. Sherie Rene Scott 13. Kerry Butler 14. Heather Headley 15. Karen Olivo 16. Kelli O'Hara 17. Stephanie J. Block 18. Adrienne Warren 19. Jessie Mueller 20. Marin Mazzie

    1 in stock

    £30.99

  • Storytelling in Motion

    Oxford University Press Inc Storytelling in Motion

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow do filmmakers guide viewer attention through the frame using the movement of bodies on screen? What do they seek to communicate with their cinematic choreography, and how were those choices shaped by the industrial conditions available to them?Storytelling in motion: Cinematic Choreography and the Film Musical demonstrates how figure movement can serve as a versatile strategy of meaning-making, particularly when filmmakers attend to the relationship between choreographed movement and film style. Using Franco-American film musicals as case studies, this book analyses the narrative and stylistic impact of figure movement in cinema and the subtle power of cinematic choreography, those moments when filmmakers deliberately combine the strengths of film style and organized figure movement to convey narrative meaning through motion. Cinematic choreography emphasizes musical conventions in Singin'' in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952), prejudiced conflict in West Side Story (Je

    1 in stock

    £22.99

  • Psychiatry on the Stage

    Oxford University Press Inc Psychiatry on the Stage

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisPsychology and theater have often intersected in the most interesting ways to describe characters, situations, and interactions. Neuroscience is in the process of discovering how the brain longs for patterns that we find in theater and other art forms, and practitioners in psychiatry frequently refer to literature and drama to better understand patients. For instance, the Oedipal complex was first illustrated in Sophocles'' Oedipus Rex, and Sigmund Freud largely derived his understanding of psychiatric complexes from his familiarity with Greek mythology.Psychiatry on the Stage presents an overview of basic psychiatric principles applied to plays from the Greeks to modern times. Additional features include illustrative vignettes from the author''s practice and several detailed indexes comprised of plays, corresponding playwrights, and various psychiatric and neurological disorders. As a board-certified psychiatrist and playwright, Dr. Berman is uniquely qualified to explore the connections between psychiatry and theater. This book is sure to appeal to both practitioners in the field of psychiatry and theater enthusiasts alike.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Overview 1. The Greeks 2. Shakespeare 3. Modern Plays 4. Freud's Contribution 5. Jungian Concepts 6. Adlerian Complexes 7. Reich's Ideas 8. Klein's Positions 9. Personality Disorders 10. Depression and Bipolar Disorder 11. Psychosis 12. Substance Abuse 13. Identity Issues 14. What We Learn From Plays

    1 in stock

    £38.99

  • Manuel de Fallas El amor brujo

    Oxford University Press Inc Manuel de Fallas El amor brujo

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisSince its 1915 premiere, artists and arrangers ranging from the classical pianist Artur Rubinstein to pop luminaries such a Fred Waring and Spike Lee have found El amor brujo attractive. In Manuel de Falla's El amor brujo, author Carol A. Hess explores the ways in which music, class, and race are intertwined in the unusually rich history of this piece.

    2 in stock

    £15.82

  • The Politics of the Musical Theatre Screen

    Oxford University Press Inc The Politics of the Musical Theatre Screen

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHollywood''s conversion to sound in the 1920s created an early peak in the film musical following the immense success of The Jazz Singer. The opportunity to synchronize moving pictures with a soundtrack suited the musical in particular, since the heightened experience of song and dance drew attention to the novelty of the technological development. Until the near-collapse of the genre in the 1960s, the film musical enjoyed around thirty years of development, as landmarks such as The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, Singin'' in the Rain, and Gigi showed the exciting possibilities of putting musicals on the silver screen. The first of three volumes, The Politics of the Musical Theatre Screen Adaptation: An Oxford Handbook traces how the genre of the stage-to-screen musical has evolved, starting with early screen adaptations such as the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movie Roberta and working through to Into the Woods (2014). Many chapters examine specific screen adaptations in depth, while others deal with broad issues such as realism or the politics of the adaptation in works such as Li''l Abner and Finian''s Rainbow. Together, the chapters incite lively debates about the process of adapting Broadway for the big screen and provide models for future studies.Volume I: The Politics of the Musical Theatre Screen AdaptationVolume II: Race, Sexuality, and Gender and the Musical Screen AdaptationVolume III: Stars, Studios, and the Musical Theatre Screen AdaptationTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. 'And I'll Sing Once More': A Historical Overview of the Broadway Musical on the Silver Screen 2. Refashioning Roberta: From Novel to Stage to Screen 3. Getting Real: Stage Musical versus Filmic Realism in Film Adaptations from Camelot to Cabaret 4. The Party's Over: On the Town, Bells Are Ringing, and the Problem of Adapting Postwar New York 5. Into the Woods from Stage to Screen 6. Li'l Abner from Comic Strip to Hollywood 7. Fidelity versus Freedom in Milos Forman's Film Version of Hair 8. 'An Elegant Legacy?': The Aborted Cartoon Adaptation of Finian's Rainbow 9. Little Shop of Horrors: Breaking the Rules All the Way to the Big (Enormous, Twelve-inch) Screen 10. The Fascinating Moment of Godspell: Its Cinematic Adaptation in the Shadow of Jesus Christ Superstar and Leonard Bernstein's Mass

    1 in stock

    £28.94

  • Race Sexuality and Gender and the Musical Screen

    Oxford University Press Inc Race Sexuality and Gender and the Musical Screen

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHollywood''s conversion to sound in the 1920s created an early peak in the film musical, following the immense success of The Jazz Singer. The opportunity to synchronize moving pictures with a soundtrack suited the musical in particular, since the heightened experience of song and dance drew attention to the novelty of the technological development. Until the near-collapse of the genre in the 1960s, the film musical enjoyed around thirty years of development, as landmarks such as The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, Singin'' in the Rain, and Gigi showed the exciting possibilities of putting musicals on the silver screen. The second of three volumes, Race, Sexuality, and Gender and the Musical Screen Adaptation: An Oxford Handbook, traces how the genre of the stage-to-screen musical has evolved, focusing in particular of issues of race, gender and sexuality. Enduringly popular adaptations such as Kiss Me Kate and Pal Joey are considered through the lens of identity, while several chapters consider how different adaptations of the same stage musical reflect shifting historical contexts. Together, the chapters incite lively debates about the process of adapting Broadway for the big screen and provide models for future studies.Volume I: The Politics of the Musical Theatre Screen AdaptationVolume II: Race, Sexuality, and Gender and the Musical Screen AdaptationVolume III: Stars, Studios, and the Musical Theatre Screen AdaptationTable of Contents1. Adapting Pal Joey: Postwar Anxieties and the Playmate 2. Too Darn Hot: Reimagining Kiss Me, Kate for the Silver Screen 3. 'A Humane, Practical, and Beautiful Solution': Adaptation and Triangulation in Paint Your Wagon 4. 'A Great American Service': George M. Cohan, the Stage, and the Nation in Yankee Doodle Dandy 5. Cole Porter's List Songs on Stage and Screen 6. The Shifting Sand of Orientalism: The Desert Song on Stage and Screen 7. 'You Will Know That She is Our Annie': Comparing Three Adaptations of a Broadway Classic 8. The Many Faces of Rio Rita

    1 in stock

    £24.99

  • On Bette Midler

    Oxford University Press Inc On Bette Midler

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisBette Midler today is a beloved legacy star, best known for her comic witch in Disney''s Hocus Pocus (1993) and its 2022 sequel. She has also gained prominence for sentimental, anthemic ballads like Wind Beneath My Wings, her initiation of green space projects in New York City, and tussling with Donald Trump on Twitter. Her profile is that of an articulate, civic-minded matriarch enjoying thoroughly mainstream stardom. But more than fifty years earlier she emerged from the steam of the subterranean Continental Baths as the Divine Miss M, the bawdy, campy, fearless alter ego she created in front of an audience of towel-clad gay men who came to the baths seeking not just sex, but a sense of community and safety from an often-harrowing outside world. I was able to take chances on that stage that I could not have taken anywhere else, she later wrote. Ironically, I was freed from fear by people who, at the time, were ruled by fear. And for that I will always be grateful. Overnight, Bette Mi

    3 in stock

    £21.84

  • Complicit Participation

    Oxford University Press Inc Complicit Participation

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn this incisive critique of the ways performances of allyship can further entrench white privilege, author Carrie J. Preston analyses her own complicit participation and that of other audience members and theater professionals, deftly examining the prevailing framework through which white liberals participate in antiracist theater and institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The book addresses immersive, documentary, site-specific, experimental, street, and popular theatre in chapters on Jean Genet''s The Blacks, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins''s An Octoroon, George C. Wolfe''s Shuffle Along, Lin-Manuel Miranda''s Hamilton, Anna Deavere Smith''s Notes from the Field, and Claudia Rankine''s The White Card. Far from abandoning the work to dismantle institutionalized racism, Preston seeks to reveal the contradictions and complicities at the heart of allyship as a crucial step toward full and radical participation in antiracist efforts.

    Out of stock

    £37.68

  • Tiktok Broadway

    Oxford University Press Inc Tiktok Broadway

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAre you a musical theatre fan who loves TikTok? Or are you curious about how this social media app has changed musical theatre fandom - and even the concept of the musical itself? TikTok Broadway: Musical Theatre Fandom in the Digital Age takes readers inside the world of TikTok Broadway, where fans create, expand, and canonize musical theatre through viral videos. It argues that TikTok democratizes musical theatre fan cultures and spaces, creating a new canon of musical theatre that reflects the preferences and passions of the fans. Readers will also see how TikTok Broadway influences other aspects of U.S. popular culture, from Broadway shows to TV adaptations.From Six and Beetlejuice to Wicked and Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, this book covers the most popular and innovative musical theatre content on TikTok. Author Trevor Boffone, a musical theatre scholar and a TikTok creator, shows how fans use the app to express their love for musical theatre, and how they collaborate to produ

    1 in stock

    £21.84

  • Closer than Ever

    Oxford University Press Inc Closer than Ever

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow do musical theater songs actually get written? What enables some composer and lyricist partnerships to last for decades?Composer David Shire and lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr., two of the most gifted songwriters of our time, are revered among musical theater lovers for their ground-breaking off-Broadway revues Starting Here, Starting Now and Closer Than Ever, as well as for the Broadway musicals Baby and Big. Rosenblum sets out to increase appreciation for Maltby and Shire''s large and impressive body of work and establish their place in musical theater history. This book chronicles their sixty-six-year (and counting) partnership, giving full behind-the-scenes accounts of their musicals, interspersed with deep-dive analyses of standout individual numbers. Other well-known artistic figures who feature prominently in the Maltby/Shire story include Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Michael Stewart, Francis Ford Coppola, Craig Lucas, Mike Ockrent, Susan Stroman, John Weidman, Charles Strouse

    1 in stock

    £21.84

  • The Choreography of Environments

    Oxford University Press Inc The Choreography of Environments

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThe Choreography of Environments: How the Anna and Lawrence Halprin Home Transformed Contemporary Dance and Urban Design explores how objects and the domestic spaces seep into the aesthetic consciousness of movement-based artists, like dancers and urban designers, significantly shaping their approach to movement invention and choreography. If these objects and spaces happen to have been designed by a leading modernist architect and landscape designer working with the dancer, then the aesthetic imprint is amplified. Dance innovation becomes pressed into dialogue with spatial, environmental, and urban agendas. The Choreography of Environments builds on this premise to consider the use of ordinary objects from a private residence as lenses into viewing dance innovation. Author Janice Ross posits the Halprins' 1950s iconic mid-century modern home and expansive outdoor dance deck as a hidden archive. She explores four objects from their house and gardens -- staircase, deck, chair, and windo

    Out of stock

    £85.53

  • The Stagecraft of Aeschylus The Dramatic Use of Exits and Entrances in Greek Tragedy Clarendon Paperbacks

    Clarendon Press The Stagecraft of Aeschylus The Dramatic Use of Exits and Entrances in Greek Tragedy Clarendon Paperbacks

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe visual effect of the staging of Aeschylus'' plays was an essential part of their impact. And yet all that survives today are the scripts. Imagination, helped by anachronistic sources, has played the chief role for those dealing with the dramaturgy of Aeschylus'' works, and the result has usually been stages crowded with extras and equipment.In this book, the author approaches the subject from a completely different angle. He clears the stage and looks for clues of Aeschylus'' stagecraft in the texts of the plays themselves. He concentrates his study in an analysis of the exits and entrances in Aeschylus'' works with constant reference to the practice of Sophocles and Euripides as well. His arguments and conclusions are fascinating and thought-provoking, and make the book indispensable for anyone interested in ancient Greek drama and its staging.Trade Review'A fascinating commentary. Every controversial passage (and there are many) is discussed with incisive intelligence, great learning, and also good-humoured respect for opposing views.' Bernard Knox, Times Literary Supplement'Dr Taplin has made Greek tragedy more vivid and more accessible to us all, to the professional classicist, to the historian of the stage, and to would-be performers of ancient drama. Mark Griffith, Phoenix'This substantial and original work of scholarship is essential for anyone who wants to gain a serious understanding of Greek tragedy in performance. It is the combination of the attempted reconstruction of the stage-action with sustained, perceptive reading of the plays in the light of this reconstruction that gives this study its specific value.' Christopher Gill, University of Exeter, Theatre Research International Autmun '90Table of ContentsPersai; seven against Thebes; Hiketides; Prometheus; Aganemnon; Choephoroi; Eumenides.

    15 in stock

    £65.55

  • National Theatre Playscripts Emil and the

    Oxford University Press National Theatre Playscripts Emil and the

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisOn his first train journey alone to Berlin, the young Emil is robbed by a mysterious stranger. Emil thinks he has lost everything and the play follows his attempts to track down the thief. However, he is not alone in this endeavour. He teams up with a gang of young detectives who try to solve the mystery together.

    1 in stock

    £15.85

  • National Theatre Playscripts War Horse

    Oxford University Press National Theatre Playscripts War Horse

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisWar Horse is the story of Joey, young Albert's beloved horse. Joey is sold to the cavalry during the First World War and sent to France to fight on the frontline. Albert is desperate to be reunited with Joey and he too enlists and faces the tragedy of war in his attempts to rescue Joey. Nick Stafford transforms Michael Morpurgo's novel for stage.

    5 in stock

    £15.85

  • National Theatre Playscripts Treasure Island

    Oxford University Press National Theatre Playscripts Treasure Island

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisYoung Jim Hawkins' quiet life at the Admiral Benbow Inn is interrupted by the arrival of Billy Bones and a treasure map. Jim leaves behind her peaceful life in search of the treasure. Along the way she encounters Long John Silver and a crew of bloodthirsty pirates and she realises this voyage may be more dangerous than she first thought.

    15 in stock

    £15.74

  • National Theatre Playscripts The Wardrobe

    Oxford University Press National Theatre Playscripts The Wardrobe

    Book SynopsisCommissioned as part of the National Theatre's Connections programme, he Wardrobe explores the image of wardrobes as a shelter from the outside world where children can seek refuge. But is the wardrobe really safe? Placing the wardrobe at different points in British history, the play investigates how the past is connected to the present.

    £15.85

  • AQA Drama and Theatre A Level and AS

    Oxford University Press AQA Drama and Theatre A Level and AS

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisPlease note this title is suitable for any student studying: Exam Board: AQA Level: AS/A Level Subject: Drama and TheatreFirst teaching: 2015First exams: 2017This student book comprehensively covers both the AQA AS and A Level Drama and Theatre specifications and has been approved by AQA. It provides coverage of the set texts, guidance on interpretations and support for studying a range of practitioners, advice on approaching and assessing theatre visits and support for creating original drama and the Working Notebook. Structured so as to allow for co-teachability of AS and A Level and developed from OUP''s well-loved resources for the previous specification, this new student book will provide all the support and guidance students need as they engage in their studies and prepare for assessments.

    1 in stock

    £56.05

  • I Hope I Dont Intrude

    Oxford University Press I Hope I Dont Intrude

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisTaking his title from the catch-phrase of the eponymous hero of the 1825 play Paul Pry, a huge success in London, New York, and around the English-speaking world, David Vincent explores the worlds of privacy and celebrity in nineteenth-century Britain, examining debates about mass communication and state surveillance that link to today's concerns.Trade ReviewIn its analysis of popular theatre, print culture, and satire this is an impressive volume. * Antony Taylor, Neue Politische Literatur *[A] fascinating double-history of nineteenth-century privacy and popular drama ... Meticulously researched and eloquently written ... Vincent's spirited curiosity and vigorous research into the extraordinarily buoyant, mottled afterlife of Pry signals his own full respect for the subject of his investigations. * Peter W. Sinnema, Victorian Studies *Table of ContentsPART ONE: INTRODUCTION; PART TWO: THE PERFORMANCE OF PAUL PRY; PART THREE: THE DILEMMAS OF PRIVACY; PART FOUR: CONCLUSION

    Out of stock

    £26.12

  • The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes

    Oxford University Press The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the ultimate anthology of theatrical anecdotes, edited by lifelong theatre-lover Gyles Brandreth in the Oxford tradition, and covering every kind of theatrical story and experience from the age of Shakespeare and Marlowe to the age of Stoppard and Mamet, from Richard Burbage to Richard Briers, from Nell Gwynn to Daniel Day-Lewis, from Sarah Bernhardt to Judi Dench.Players, playwrights, prompters, producers--they all feature. The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes provides a comprehensive, revealing, and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years. Many of the anecdotes are humorous: all have something pertinent and illuminating to say about an aspect of theatrical life--whether it is the art of playwriting, the craft of covering up missed cues, the drama of the First Night, the nightmare of touring, or the secret ingredients of star quality. Edmund Kean, Henry Irving, John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Ellen Terry, Edith Evans, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren--the great ''names'' are all here, of course, but there are tales of the unexpected, too--and the unknown. This is a book--presented in five acts, with a suitably anecdotal and personal prologue from Gyles Brandreth--where, once in a while, the understudy takes centre-stage and Gyles Brandreth treats triumph and disaster just the same, including stories from the tattiest touring companies as well as from Broadway, the West End and theatres, large and small, in Australia, India, and across Europe.Trade ReviewIt is impossible to do justice here to the fullness of Brandreth's bran tub. It's a hamper of a book, overflowing with delights and the odd occasion for serious reflection... * Simon Callow, The Sunday Times *... cracker of a book... with theatres closed because of coronavirus, The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes is about as close to a play we can get at the moment and it is well worth the admission price. * Sunday Express *The mix of solemnity and humour is perhaps a suitable homage to a great industry now in danger of dying, leaving in its wake only anecdotes about old times. * Lindsay Duguid, Times Literary Supplement *... a chunky tome of a book containing scrupulously researched snippets of amusing theatrical chat... The prologue to the book is a mini masterpiece in itself and demonstrates with a quiet strenth and a familiar humour, the depth of Brandreth's love for the theatre and his remarkable insight into it... makes you smile, wonder and sympathise... * Sandra Callard, ON-Yorkshire Magazine *Brandreth is always reliably funny... * Literary Review *... a sheer delight... this meaty volume will transport the reader into the world of make-believe and recount the very real exploits of the wizards who create it. * John Badenhorst, Press and Journal *This, of course, is not a book to read from cover to cover - it's one to dip into as and when the mood takes you. I heartily recommend you take the plunge. * Stephen Griffin, Camden New Journal *Funny, cringe-worthy, witty and wise, it's the perfect book for theatre-goers. * Surrey Life *...provides a fascinating perspective on the history of British (and sometimes American or Australian) theatre... there's so much to enjoy here: it really is a book that keeps on giving, and will keep the reader happily dipping in and out for many weeks... * Shiny New Books *The ever wonderful Gyles Brandreth edits this joyous and hugely entertaining new anthology of theatrical anecdotes... a comprehensive, revealing, and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years. * The Arts Shelf *Completely brilliant. Gyles knows all the best theatre stories and he has collected them just for us. What a treat! * Dame Judi Dench *Table of ContentsPrologue Act One: Players from WIlliam Shakespeare to Henry Irving Act Two: Players from Sarah Bernhardt to Tallulah Bankhead Act Three: Players from Ralph Richardson to Naeem Hyat Interval: Audiences and Critics Act Four: Playwrights, Producers, and Directors Act Five: Unforeseen Circumstances Epilogue

    Out of stock

    £20.69

  • The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes

    Oxford University Press The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the ultimate anthology of theatrical anecdotes, edited by lifelong theatre-lover Gyles Brandreth in the Oxford tradition, and covering every kind of theatrical story and experience from the age of Shakespeare and Marlowe to the age of Stoppard and Mamet, from Richard Burbage to Richard Briers, from Nell Gwynn to Daniel Day-Lewis, from Sarah Bernhardt to Judi Dench.Players, playwrights, prompters, producers--they all feature. The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes provides a comprehensive, revealing, and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years.Many of the anecdotes are humorous: all have something pertinent and illuminating to say about an aspect of theatrical life--whether it is the art of playwriting, the craft of covering up missed cues, the drama of the First Night, the nightmare of touring, or the secret ingredients of star quality.Edmund Kean, Henry Irving, John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Ellen Terry, Edith Evans, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren--the great ''names'' are all here, of course, but there are tales of the unexpected, too--and the unknown. This is a book--presented in five acts, with a suitably anecdotal and personal prologue from Gyles Brandreth--where, once in a while, the understudy takes centre-stage and Gyles Brandreth treats triumph and disaster just the same, including stories from the tattiest touring companies as well as from Broadway, the West End and theatres, large and small, in Australia, India, and across Europe.Trade ReviewIt is impossible to do justice here to the fullness of Brandreth's bran tub. It's a hamper of a book, overflowing with delights and the odd occasion for serious reflection... * Simon Callow, The Sunday Times *... cracker of a book... with theatres closed because of coronavirus, The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes is about as close to a play we can get at the moment and it is well worth the admission price. * Sunday Express *The mix of solemnity and humour is perhaps a suitable homage to a great industry now in danger of dying, leaving in its wake only anecdotes about old times. * Lindsay Duguid, Times Literary Supplement *Brilliantly wide-ranging collection of showbiz tales with an anecdote-packed introduction from the man himself. * James Walton, Readers Digest *... a chunky tome of a book containing scrupulously researched snippets of amusing theatrical chat... The prologue to the book is a mini masterpiece in itself and demonstrates with a quiet strenth and a familiar humour, the depth of Brandreth's love for the theatre and his remarkable insight into it... makes you smile, wonder and sympathise... * Sandra Callard, ON-Yorkshire Magazine *Brandreth is always reliably funny... * Literary Review *... a sheer delight... this meaty volume will transport the reader into the world of make-believe and recount the very real exploits of the wizards who create it. * John Badenhorst, Press and Journal *This, of course, is not a book to read from cover to cover - it's one to dip into as and when the mood takes you. I heartily recommend you take the plunge. * Stephen Griffin, Camden New Journal *Funny, cringe-worthy, witty and wise, it's the perfect book for theatre-goers. * Surrey Life *...provides a fascinating perspective on the history of British (and sometimes American or Australian) theatre... there's so much to enjoy here: it really is a book that keeps on giving, and will keep the reader happily dipping in and out for many weeks... * Shiny New Books *The ever wonderful Gyles Brandreth edits this joyous and hugely entertaining new anthology of theatrical anecdotes... a comprehensive, revealing, and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years. * The Arts Shelf *Completely brilliant. Gyles knows all the best theatre stories and he has collected them just for us. What a treat! * Dame Judi Dench *Table of ContentsPrologue Act One: Players from WIlliam Shakespeare to Henry Irving Act Two: Players from Sarah Bernhardt to Tallulah Bankhead Act Three: Players from Ralph Richardson to Naeem Hyat Interval: Audiences and Critics Act Four: Playwrights, Producers, and Directors Act Five: Unforeseen Circumstances Epilogue

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • Great Shakespeare Actors

    Oxford University Press Great Shakespeare Actors

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisGreat Shakespeare Actors provides a series of well-informed, well-written, illuminating, and entertaining accounts of many of the most famous stage performers of Shakespeare in both England and America, offering a concise, actor-centred history of Shakespeare on the stage.Trade ReviewWells's vignette reports will make you wish you had been there... Eye-witness accounts are good, and especially when they are by actors such as Helen Faucit in the 19th century and by such academics as Stanley Wells in the 20th century, are invaluable. * Robert Tanitch, Mature Times *Wells's book is a mentor and companion to the Shakespeare lover. It can be dipped into at leisure as each chapter is complete in itself, but the text is so diverting and compulsive, so utterly knowledgeable and incisive, that it is difficult to find an easy pause. It is a book to cherish, to laugh with and to wonder at. * Sandra Callard, On: Yorkshire Magazine *Aimed at a broad readership, the book offers short biographies of "great Shakespeare actors" from Shakespeare's time to our own ... the book will very likely prove a helpful and entertaining resource for many. * Kevin Curran, Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 *Great Shakespeare Actors is most impressive when quarrying the more remote past, and, although it is suitable for dipping into, reading it straight through conveys a sense of how acting styles and actors' careers have changed. * Henry Hitchings, Spectator *[A] fascinating book. * Benedict Nightingale, New Statesman *Stanley Wells has his work cut out in Great Shakespeare Actors as he assesses around forty performers over the past four centuries, from Richard Burbage to Simon Russell Beale, offering brisk career summaries with a dash of scholarship and plenty of anecdote ... There's no shortage of excellent stories. * David Collard, The Times Literary Supplement *... Wells' passion is infectious. * New Republic, Charles Shafaieh *This collection is not only a useful source in itself, but opens up many other routes into theatre commentary, both historical and contemporary. * Heather Neill, Around the Globe *What could easily have been a repetitive book, as a series of actors is connected to a limited number of distinguished roles, is so well written that this never becomes the case. The writing is assured and never flags in an unexpected volume that is well worth dipping into. * British Theatre Guide, Philip Fisher *There's so much more in this fascinating book that I haven't been able to cover, so I can only urge you, if this kind of thing interests you, to go out and get a copy soon. You won't regret it. * Shiny New Books, Harriet Devine *Stanley Wells has written a book which is a total delight... unputdownable. * The Journal (Newcastle), Richard Edmonds *There is deep research here, lightly worn but nevertheless offering clear pointers for those who wish to study individual performers more closely, and for the great majority of the book there is also an engaging tone * Lisa Hopkins, Sheffield Hallam University, Times Higher Education *a brisk, fascinating theatrical voyage through more than four centuries * The Independent, Nicholas De Jongh *There is deep research here, lightly worn Wells is judicious and restrained and has a dry, crisp style. * Times Higher Education, Lisa Hopkins *Stanley Wells - Shakespeare's brightest and best champion for decades - has produced an absolutely wonderful and wildly readable survey of Shakespearean acting. With tremendous flashes of insight, Wells illuminates not just the staging and the modes of acting that predominated over the centuries, but also the true nature of Shakespeare as a provider of play scripts for actors and audiences. Superbly researched, this is a book that I shall revisit time and time again. * Stephen Fry *This astonishing book fills a vital gap on the shelves. Stanley Wells combines the detailed knowledge of a Shakespeare scholar with the sharp eye of a dramatic critic in a book that makes great performances come resonantly alive. If future generations want to know what Olivier or Dench really were like in Shakespeare, it is to this book that they will turn. * Michael Billington *In his own day, and ever since, Shakespeare's plays have been staged by some of the worlds most extraordinary actors. Stanley Wells, who knows these plays and their fascinating histories as well as anyone, offers here incisive portraits of exceptional actors who have performed Shakespeare over the past 400 years, from Burbage and Kemp up through Olivier, Dench, McKellen, and Beale. It's a thrilling and captivating account. * James Shapiro, author of 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare *Stanley Wells's Great Shakespeare Actors is a companionable tour through the encyclopaedic knowledge of our greatest Shakespeare scholar, full of anecdote, erudition, and intimate firsthand observation. It's a tribute to a life of devotion to the theatre, on the page and on stage, informed by a living sense of what actors do, and who they are, and how they work. There are many classic lives here, but also, to me, some enjoyable surprises. * Margaret Drabble *a highly enjoyable book, clearly and pungently written. ... it will be of great help to the general reader, to Shakespeare students and to theatre historians alike as it allows us to reflect on the very essence of theatre * Sophie Chiari, Cercles *As well as drawing effectively on significant written accounts by actors and critics, Wells is particularly persuasive in analyses of visual and aural evidence * Russell Jackson, The Year's Contribution to Shakespeare Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction Prelude: William Shakespeare 1: Richard Burbage 2: Will Kemp 3: Robert Armin 4: Thomas Betterton 5: Charles Macklin 6: David Garrick Who Was the First Great Shakespeare Actress? 7: Sarah Siddons 8: George Frederick Cooke 9: John Philip Kemble 10: Dora Jordan 11: Edmund Kean 12: William Charles Macready 13: Helen Faucit Who Was the First Great American Shakespeare Actor? 14: Ira Aldridge 15: Charlotte Cushman 16: Edwin Booth 17: Henry Irving 18: Ellen Terry 19: Tommaso Salvini Times of Change 20: Edith Evans 21: Sybil Thorndike 22: Charles Laughton 23: Donald Wolfit 24: Ralph Richardson 25: John Gielgud 26: Laurence Olivier 27: Peggy Ashcroft 28: Michael Redgrave 29: Paul Scofield 30: Donald Sinden 31: Richard Pasco 32: Ian Richardson 33: Judi Dench 34: Derek Jacobi 35: Ian McKellen 36: Janet Suzman 37: Antony Sher 38: Simon Russell Beale 39: Kenneth Branagh

    Out of stock

    £12.59

  • Mastering the Revels The Regulation and

    Oxford University Press Mastering the Revels The Regulation and

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisA new edition that offers detailed consideration of the role of the Master of the Revels in English Renaissance entertainments and the relationship between the politics of the court and English theatre.Trade ReviewThis book is thoroughly researched and presents a great deal of information about this subject in a manner that allows readers to follow the narrative or to skim to the sections relevant to their individual research. * Anna Faktorovich, editor-in-chief, Pennsylvania literary Journal *This second edition is must reading for those interested in Shakespeare and early modern English theater. * Choice *

    Out of stock

    £106.88

  • Sophocles Oedipus the King

    Oxford University Press Sophocles Oedipus the King

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisSophocles' great masterpiece, Oedipus the King, is here translated into highly-polished English verse alongside an introduction and notes to the translation which seek to make his achievements in both plot and language accessible to students at graduate, undergraduate, and secondary school level.Trade ReviewKovacs, as is evident from his self-citation, focuses heavily on the religious context to Oedipus. The use of the introduction to lay out important background for novice readers, while simultaneously reflecting recent developments in scholarship is another elegant characteristic... * Cressida Ryan, Classical Review *Kovacs' lively verse translation, with introduction and notes, of this seminal play, will be of value to students and lay readers alike. * Michael Halleran, William & Mary, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Sophocles and the great age of Athenian tragedy 1a. What we know of Sophocles' life 1b. How to avoid turning Sophocles into the wrong kind of classic 2. The conditions of tragic performance in the fifth century BC 3. The divine dimension: on not misunderstanding Sophocles' Oedipus the King 3a. The role of Apollo in what happens before the play opens 3b. Apollo at work within the play 3c. Some general considerations in favour of an active Apollo 3d. How much pure coincidence is there in Oedipus the Kinga 3e. What was Apollo's reason for ruining Oedipusa 3f. Justifying the ways of God to man 4. A further source of confusion: Sophocles' manipulation of the plot 5. The ending 5a. The scene with the daughters 5b. Why is Oedipus made to re-enter the palacea 6. The translation: its aims and methods 7. The Greek text: departures from Lloyd-Jones and Wilson, Sophoclis Fabulae (second impression, Oxford 1992) Works cited OEDIPUS THE KING, a verse translation Notes to the translation Endmatter Suggestions for further reading Index

    Out of stock

    £20.89

  • Shakespeare A Playgoers  Readers Guide

    Oxford University Press Shakespeare A Playgoers Readers Guide

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisShakespeare: A Playgoer''s & Reader''s Guide is your essential companion to all Shakespeare''s extant works (as well as those known to be lost). Two of our most eminent Shakespeare scholars guide us through his sonnets, his poems, and his plays, providing the reader with detailed scene-by-scene plot synopses, cast lists, notes on the texts and sources, discussions of artistic features, and accounts of significant productions on stage and screen.Derived from the acclaimed Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, and fully updated to reflect the latest scholarship and most recent notable productions, it is the ideal compact guide for students and theatre-goers needing a helpful plot summary, or readers wishing to browse on fascinating background information.Trade Review...crammed with information of the most detailed kind. One particularly magnificent section gives the entire chronology of every one of the families involved in the history plays... This is a book with no messing about. It gives its information clearly and in a pithy manner which enables the reader to absorb a great deal of information without too much cerebral effort...this little book has a wonderfully powerful kick. * ON: YORKSHIRE *A thorough and accessible resource... * Nick Smurthwaite, Drama & Theatre Magazine *Distilled and updated from OUP's earlier Oxford Companion to Shakespeare , this book would be a fine starting point for anyone wanting or needing to know more about the man and his work. * Susan Elkin, School Librarian *Table of ContentsPreface All Is True All's Well That Ends Well Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It Cardenio The Comedy of Errors Coriolanus Cymbeline Edward III First Part of the Contention of the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster (2 Henry VI) Hamlet Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry V Henry VI Part 1 Julius Caesar King John King Lear A Lover's Complaint Love's Labour's Lost Love's Labour's Won Macbeth Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor A Midsummer's Night Dream Much Ado About Nothing Othello Pericles The Phoenix and the Turtle The Rape of Lucrece Richard Duke of York (3 Henry VI) Richard II Richard III Romeo and Juliet Sir Thomas More Sonnets The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Two Noble Kinsmen Venus and Adonis The Winter's Tale A Short Life of William Shakespeare Shakespeare's Life, Works, and Reception: A Partial Chronology, 1564-2020 Family Tree of Characters in the English Histories Some Suggested Further Reading

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • Stages of Loss

    Oxford University Press Stages of Loss

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisStages of Loss supplies an original and deeply researched account of travel and festivity in early modern Europe, complicating, revising, and sometimes entirely rewriting received accounts of the emergence and development of professional theatre. It offers a history of English actors travelling and performing abroad in early modern Europe, and Germany in particular, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These players, known as English Comedians, were among the first professional actors to perform in central and northern European courts and cities. The vital contributions made by them to the development of a European theatre institution have long been neglected owing to the pre-eminence of national theatre histories and the difficulty of researching an inherently evanescent phenomenon across large distances. These contributions are here introduced in their proper contexts for the first time. Stages of Loss explores connections real and perceived between diminishments of national value and the material wealth transported by itinerant players; representations of loss, waste, and profligacy within the drama they performed; and the extent to which theatrical practice and the process of canonization have led to archival and interpretive losses in theatre history. Situating the English Comedians in a variety of economic, social, religious, and political contexts, it explores trends and continuities in the reception of their itinerant theatre, showing how their incorporation into modern theatre history has been shaped by derogatory assessments of travelling theatre and itinerant people in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Stages of Loss reveals that the Western theatre institution took shape partly as a means of accommodating, controlling, evaluating, and concealing the work of migrant strangers.Trade ReviewStages of Loss: The English Comedians and Their Reception is an important, wide-ranging study ... informed by incisive argumentation and meticulous research... [It] successfully broadens our scholarly engagement with the English Comedians and intelligently interrogates the reception they have received. * Prof. Lukas Erne (University of Geneva) *Stages of Loss is an admirable contribution to an understudied but important aspect of English theatrical performance ... Oppitz-Trotman's recovery of evidence is so thorough and his discussion of the issues is so wide-ranging that Stages of Loss establishes itself as both a place of origin for the study of English troupes on the Continent and a guideline in methodology for a wide array of research questions that the next generation of archival scholars can address * Prof. J. P. Conlan (University of Puerto Rico) *A compelling, detailed history * Renaissance Quarterly *Table of ContentsPrologue 1: In the Air 2: Out of Time 3: Moving Cloth 4: Moving Coin 5: Out of Laughter Epilogue

    Out of stock

    £96.00

  • The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and

    Oxford University Press The Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare and

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisPresents the most current approaches to Shakespeare in performance, including how experimental modes of performance ensure Shakespeare's contemporaneity; how and why audiences respond to performances as they do; how technology has revolutionized our access to Shakespeare, and cultural appropriation in productions for international audiences.Trade ReviewJames Bulman is to be congratulated for having amassed a diversified collection of essays with reference to the contemporaneity of Shakespeare for Western audiences. * Susan L. Fischer, Bulletin of the Comediantes *Table of ContentsJames C. Bulman: Introduction: Cross-Currents in Performance Criticism PART I: EXPERIMENTAL SHAKESPEARE 1: Susan Bennett: Experimental Shakespeare 2: Bridget Escolme: Shakespeare and the Contemporary: Psychology, Culture, and Audience in Othello Production 3: Roberta Barker: 'Deared by Being Lacked': The Realist Legacy and the Art of Failure in Shakespearean Performance 4: Carol Chillington Rutter: Shakespeare for Dummies, or 'See the Puppets Dallying' 5: Peter Kirwan: Not-Shakespeare and the Shakespearean Ghost 6: Kim Solga: Shakespeare's Property Ladder: Women Directors and the Politics of 'Ownership' 7: Andrew James Hartley: Dialectical Shakespeare: Pedagogy in Performance 8: Ton Hoensalaars: Captive Shakespeare PART II: RECEPTION 9: Ayanna Thompson: (How) Should We Listen to Audiences? Race, Reception, and the Audience Survey 10: Peter Holland: Forgetting Performance 11: Cary M. Mazer: Documenting the Demotic: Actor Blogs and the Guts of the Opera Singer 12: Robert Shaughnessy: The Time is Out of Joint: Shakespeare, Jet Lag, and the Rhythms of Performance 13: Paul Menzer: Archives and Anecdotes 14: Robert Conkie: Reveries of a Shakespearean Walker 15: Katherine Prince: Intimate and Epic Macbeths in Contemporary Performance PART III: MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY 16: Thomas Cartelli: High Tech Shakespeare in a Mediatized Globe: Ivo van Hove's Roman Tragedies and the Problem of Spectatorship 17: Stephen Purcell: 'It's All a Bit of a Risk': Reformulating 'Liveness' in Twenty-First Century Performances of Shakespeare 18: Pascale Aebischer: Technology and the Ethics of Spectatorship 19: W. B. Worthen: Shakespearean Technicity 20: Sarah Werner: Performance in Digital Editions of Shakespeare 21: Anthony R. Guneratne: Shakespeare's Rebirth: Performance in Music, Dance, Theatre, and Cinema in the Age of Electro-Digital Reproduction 22: Scott Newstok: Making 'Music at the Editing Table': Echoing Verdi in Welles' Othello 23: Samuel Crowl: 'Nobody's Perfect': Cross-Dressing and Gender-Bending in Sven Gade's Hamlet and Julie Taymor's Tempest 24: Courtney Lehmann: Can the Subaltern Sing? Liz White's Othello PART IV: GLOBAL SHAKESPEARE 25: Alexa Alice Joubin: Global Shakespeare Criticism beyond the Nation-State 26: Dennis Kennedy: Global Shakespeare and Globalized Performance 27: Christie Carson: Performance, Presence, and Personal Responsibility: Witnessing Global Theatre in and around the Globe 28: Sonia Massai: Shakespeare with and without its Language 29: Rose Elfman: Slapstick against Stereotypes in South Sudan's Cymbeline 30: Colette Gordon: Open and Closed: Workshopping Shakespeare in South Africa 31: Adele Seeff: Indigenizing Shakespeare in South Africa 32: Alfredo Michel Modenessi: 'Victim of Improvisation' in Latin America: Shakespeare Out-sourced and In-taken 33: Robert Ormsby: Global Cultural Tourism at Canada's Stratford Festival: The Adventures of Pericles 34: Michiko Suematsu: Verbal and Visual Representations in Modern Japanese Shakespeare Productions 35: Li Ruru: There Is a World Elsewhere: Shakespeare on the Chinese Stage 36: Yong Li Lan: Translating Performance: the Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive

    Out of stock

    £52.46

  • Shakespeare on Page and Stage

    Oxford University Press Shakespeare on Page and Stage

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis volume presents a winning selection of the very best essays from the long and distinguished career of Stanley Wells, one of the most well-known and respected Shakespeare scholars in the world. Wells''s accomplishments include editing the entire canon of Shakespeare plays for the ground-breaking Oxford Shakespeare, and over his lifetime he has made significant contributions to debates over literary criticism of the works, genre study, textual theory, Shakespeare''s afterlife in the theatre, and contemporary performance. The volume is introduced by Peter Holland, and its thirty chapters are divided into themed sections: ''Shakespearian Influences'', ''Essays on Particular Works'', ''Shakespeare in the Theatre'', and ''Shakespeare''s Text''. An afterword by Margreta de Grazia concludes the volume.Trade ReviewHis breadth and judiciousness are generously on view in an essay "On Being a General Editor," with advice that I have long taken to heart as to whether notes should appear at the foot of the page, how to keep the text as free as possible from algebraic signs, how to persuade individual editors in a series to absorb and act upon the advice they are given, and much more. These are only a few instances of enlightenment afforded by this immensely valuable collection of essays. * David Bevington, Renaissance Quarterly *Another collection poised at the intersection of theatrical practice and historical scholarship ... The essays in this collection exhibit Well's extraordinary critical range, as well as his characteristic clarity, wisdom, and wit. * Kevin Curran, Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 *[An] expansive, insightful essay collection ... [Wells's] engagement with the material is lively enough that [readers will be inspired] to dust off their old editions of the plays from their school days and dive back in. * Publishers Weekly *At their best (and they are often at their best), these essays display the tough-minded wit that John Donne might have brought to, as well as found in, Shakespeare: wreathed, ingenious, supple, sophisticated - and delivered with a wink. * Times Literary Supplement *For decades, the dean of British Shakespeare studies and Shakespeare's most sedulous ambassador worldwide, Stanley Wells, has been a critic of astonishing range. Here we see what he brought to and learned from his executive roles with the Shakespeare Institute and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, his editorships of the Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works and Shakespeare Survey, and his engagement with and mentorship of countless scholars. Close reading, contextual reading, textual editing, performance analysis, theatre history, cultural history--all are to be encountered in this astutely curated collection. There are pleasures of discovery and rediscovery: how fresh the work remains, how searching, and how revelatory. * Lena Cowen Orlin, Executive Director, The Shakespeare Association of America. *Stanley Wells's contribution to Shakespeare studies has been profound. This collection of his finest essays--ranging widely from stagecraft to theatre criticism, and from textual studies to explorations of individual works--confirms why he continues to serve as such an incisive and brilliant guide to the plays and poems. * James Shapiro, author of 1599 and 1606 *Stanley Wells is the most Shakespearian of Shakespearians. He epitomizes what makes the humanities humane. Great learning lightly worn; hard work disguised as play. A love of beauty and of truth. A deep commitment to the difficult work of understanding the human past. Curiosity, empathy, generosity, modesty. The clarity and passion of all great teachers. A twinkle in the eye, and in the prose. * Gary Taylor, Apprentice; Collaborator; Beneficiary *Table of ContentsPeter Holland: Introduction I. Shakespearian Influences 1: Shakespeare: Man of the European Renaissance 2: Tales from Shakespeare II. Essays on Particular Works 3: The Failure of The Two Gentlemen of Verona 4: The Taming of the Shrew and King Lear: A Structural Comparison 5: The Integration of Violent Action in Titus Andronicus 6: The Challenges of Romeo and Juliet 7: Juliet's Nurse: The Uses of Inconsequentiality 8: The Lamentable Tale of Richard II 9: A Midsummer Night's Dream Revisited 10: Translations in A Midsummer Night's Dream 11: The Once and Future King Lear 12: Points of Stagecraft in The Tempest 13: 'My Name is Will': Shakespeare's Sonnets and Autobiography 14: Shakespeare Without Sources 15: Shakespeare and Romance III. Shakespeare in the Theatre 16: Boys Should be Girls: Shakespeare s Female Roles and the Boy Players 17: Staging Shakespeare's Ghosts 18: Staging Shakespeare's Apparitions and Dream Visions 19: Shakespeare in Planché's Extravaganzas 20: Shakespeare in Max Beerbohm's Theatre Criticism 21: Shakespeare in Leigh Hunt's Theatre Criticism 22: Shakespeare in Hazlitt's Theatre Criticism 23: Peter Hall's Coriolanus, 1959 IV. Shakespeare's Text 24: On Being a General Editor 25: Editorial Treatment of Foul-Paper Texts: Much Ado About Nothing as Test Case 26: Money in Shakespeare's Comedies 27: To Read a Play: The Problem of Editorial Intervention 28: The First Folio: Where Should We be Without it? 29: The Limitations of the First Folio Margreta de Grazia: Afterword Notes Select List of Publications Acknowledgements Index

    1 in stock

    £16.99

  • Fathoming the Deep in English Renaissance Tragedy

    £23.75

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