The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage

A Companion addressing all aspects of Shakespeare in performance, first published in 1992.

Stanley Wells (Edited by), Sarah Stanton (Edited by)

9780521792950, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 30 May 2002

340 pages, 45 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.67 kg

'Once again, the Cambridge University Press has clearly spared no effort or expense to bring us this absorbing Companion which I suspect will find places on the shelves of scholars, teachers and practitioners of both the works of Shakespeare and of theatre practice throughout the world … it is a book which will never leave my shelves other than for my own indulgent browsing …'. Amateur Stage

This 2002 Companion is designed for readers interested in past and present productions of Shakespeare's plays, both in and beyond Britain. The first six chapters describe aspects of the British performing tradition in chronological sequence, from the early staging of Shakespeare's own time, through to the present day. Each relates Shakespearean developments to broader cultural concerns and adopts an individual approach and focus, on textual adaptation, acting, stages, scenery or theatre management. These are followed by three explorations of acting: tragic and comic actors and women performers of Shakespeare roles. A section on international performance includes chapters on interculturalism, on touring companies and on political theatre, with separate accounts of the performing traditions of North America, Asia and Africa. Over forty pictures illustrate peformers and productions of Shakespeare from around the world. An amalgamated list of items for further reading completes the book.

List of illustrations
Preface
1. Shakespeare plays on Renaissance stages Gary Taylor
2. Improving Shakespeare: from the Restoration to Garrick Jean I. Marsden
3. Romantic Shakespeare Jane Moody
4. Pictorial Shakespeare Richard W. Schoch
5. Reconstructive Shakespeare: reproducing Elizabethan and Jacobean stages Marion O'Connor
6. Twentieth-century performance: the Stratford and London companies Robert Smallwood
7. The tragic actor and Shakespeare Simon Williams
8. The comic actor and Shakespeare Peter Thomson
9. Women and Shakespearean performance Penny Gay
10. International Shakespeare Anthony B. Dawson
11. Touring Shakespeare Peter Holland
12. Shakespeare on the political stage in the twentieth century Wilhelm Hortmann
13. Shakespeare in North America Michael A. Morrison
14. Shakespeare on the stages of Asia John Gillies, Ryuta Minami, Ruru Li and Poonam Trivedi
15. Shakespeare and Africa Martin Banham, Roshni Mooneeram and Jane Plastow
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800 [DSBD], Theatre studies [AN]