Description
Book SynopsisTrevor R. Griffiths is a visiting honorary professor in Humanities at the University of Exeter, UK, and formerly Professor of Theatre Studies at London Metropolitan University, UK. He is ViceChair of the Society for Theatre Research and coordinating editor of the refereed journal
Theatre Notebook.Trade ReviewWorth reading particularly for the intelligent way in which it defines its subject then follows it through history from ancient times to the present day. * British Theatre Guide *
Griffiths’ book offers a succinct and lively introduction to English Romantic Comedy. Analysing and contextualizing a range of key texts and their performance history from the Renaissance to the 21st century, this accessible book pays special attention to how dramatists have explored, adapted and challenged the conventions of Romantic Comedy, as they have used the genre to reflect not only on love but also on issues such as marriage, family, class, gender and sexuality. It is a welcome new resource for students of Romantic Comedy. * Siobhan Keenan, De Montfort University, UK *
Romantic Comedy reveals the complexity and nuance of a genre that we think we know and easily understand. Exploring examples drawn from 2,500 years of theatre history, the work both outlines the history of Romantic Comedy and shows how more recent plays challenge the conventions of the genre. The book is particularly strong in its attention to the plays as acts of performance as well as scripts. Griffiths considers how contemporary productions can shed new light on classic romantic comedies and how 21st-century dramatists rework mainstays of the Romantic Comedy repertoire, thereby offering new insights into gender, race, and class. * Fiona Ritchie, McGill University, Canada *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Series Preface Acknowledgements Conventions Introduction: 'The Course of True Love' 1. Shakespeare and Romantic Comedy 2. Romantic Comedy: 1660-1895 3. Romantic Comedies of (Bad) Manners: 1895 to the present Epilogue References Index
