Staging Conventions in Medieval English Theatre

Examines staging conventions in the medieval English theatre and ways in which they conditioned the reactions of the audience.

Philip Butterworth (Author)

9781107015487, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 26 June 2014

283 pages, 10 b/w illus.
23.5 x 15.6 x 1.5 cm, 0.59 kg

'Butterworth's book will be of use to those seeking a scholarly discussion of problems and strategies in the performance of medieval drama, both as it was once written and played, and for contemporary revivals. His knowledge is extensive and his practical experience of the staging of many of these works clearly and helpfully informs his comments on their characteristic ways of working in space, time, and action.' Tom Bishop, Speculum

How was medieval English theatre performed? Many of the modern theatrical concepts and terms used today to discuss the nature of medieval English theatre were never used in medieval times. Concepts and terms such as character, characterisation, truth and belief, costume, acting style, amateur, professional, stage directions, effects and special effects are all examples of post-medieval terms that have been applied to the English theatre. Little has been written about staging conventions in the performance of medieval English theatre and the identity and value of these conventions has often been overlooked. In this book, Philip Butterworth analyses dormant evidence of theatrical processes such as casting, doubling of parts, rehearsing, memorising, cueing, entering, exiting, playing, expounding, prompting, delivering effects, timing, hearing, seeing and responding. All these concerns point to a very different kind of theatre to the naturalistic theatre produced today.

Introduction
1. Outdoors and indoors
2. Casting and doubling
3. Rehearsing, memorising and cueing
4. Coming and going
5. Playing, feigning and counterfeiting
6. Dressing and disguising
7. Expounding and monitoring
8. Effecting effects
9. Timing and waiting
10. Hearing, seeing and responding.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: post-colonial literature [DSBH5], Literature & literary studies [D], Theatre: technical & background skills [ANH], Theatre direction & production [ANF], Theatre: individual actors & directors [ANB], Theatre studies [AN]