The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre (Cambridge Illustrated Histories)

U.S.A.: Cambridge University Press. Very Good/Very Good. 1994. Hard Cover. 4to 0521419131 Dust jacket complete, unclipped. Original cloth boards with bright gilt titling on spine. Ownership inscription on ffep. Numerous colour and b/w illustrations. 416 pages clean and tight. Dimensions: 20.3 x 3.5 x 25.3 cm. Combining authoritative writing with superb illustration, The Cambridge Illustrated History of British Theatre is a fascinating exploration of the development of the live performing arts. Taking a broad view of theatre, the book covers everything from the minor and `illegitimate' to the mainstream and `official' - whether the mystery plays of the Middle Ages or the `real time drama' of Coronation Street, the courtly theatre of Shakespeare's day or the `fringe' of the 1990s. Theatre is considered throughout as the popular expression of its creators' and audiences' values and concerns. The contributions of players, patrons, playwrights, and audiences are vividly recounted, together with the social and political forces which inevitably influenced them. Ranging from theatre in the metropolis to theatre in the provinces, the book also examines the influences on theatre from abroad and the impact of British theatre on the cultural scene beyond its own frontiers. CONTENTS: Introduction 'Roman Britain and the Early Middle Ages 'The High Middle Ages oThe Later Middle Ages 'The Shaping of a Professional Theatre. 'The Era of the Outdoor Playhouses 'The Jacobean Theatre 'The Caroline and Commonwealth Theatre 'The Restoration Theatre 'The Birth of a Bourgeois Theatre 'The Actors Ascendant. 'Opposition and Oppression 'The Garrick Years 'From Manners to Melodrama 'The End of the Monopoly oTowards a Respectable Theatre. 'The Speculative Theatre 'Romance and Realism 'The War and the Long Weekend 'The Utility Theatre 'Anger and Affluence 'Alternative Theatres 'Theatre and the Marketplace 'Epilogue. .