The Cambridge History of British Theatre

The first of three volumes looking at the turbulent public life of performance in Britain.

Jane Milling (Edited by), Peter Thomson (Edited by)

9780521650403, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 November 2004

572 pages, 40 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 3.2 cm, 3.47 kg

'… exceptional … destined to prove one of the most erudite, and yet accessible, resources for theatre scholars and students as well as serious theatre practitioners … must be hailed as perhaps the most carefully compiled and comprehensively covered history ever attempted … I know of no library that has any other theatre history (focusing exclusively on British Theatre) on its shelves to challenge this great new work's pole position in the theatre reference stakes … All in all a great work.' Amateur Stage

Volume 1 of The Cambridge History of British Theatre begins in Roman Britain and ends with Charles II's restoration to the throne imminent. The four essays in Part I treat pre-Elizabethan theatre, the eight in Part II focus on the riches of the Elizabethan era, and the seven in Part III on theatrical developments during and after the reigns of James I and Charles I. The essays are written for the general reader by leading British and American scholars, who combine an interest in the written drama with an understanding of the material conditions of the evolving professional theatre which the drama helped to sustain, often enough against formidable odds. The volume unfolds a story of enterprise, innovation and, sometimes, of desperate survival over years in which theatre and drama were necessarily embroiled in the politics of everyday life: a vivid subject vividly presented.

General preface
Chronology
Part I. Pre-Elizabethan Theatre: 1. From Roman to Renaissance in drama and theatre John C. Coldewey
2. Faith, pastime, performance and drama in Scotland to 1603 John J. McGavin
3. The Bible as play in Reformation England Paul Whitfield White
4. Drama in 1553: continuity and change Peter Happé
Part II. Elizabethan Theatre: 5. The development of a professional theatre, 1540–1660 Jane Milling
6. Drama outside London after 1540 Peter H. Greenfield
7. 'An example of courtesy and liberality': great households and performance Suzanne Westfall
8. The birth of an industry Douglas Bruster
9. Theatre and controversy, 1572–1603 Diana E. Henderson
10. The condition of theatre in England in 1599 Andrew Gurr
11. Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour: a case study Richard Allen Cave
12. London professional playhouses and performances Martin White
Part III. Jacobean and Caroline Theatre: 13. Working playwrights, 1580–1642 Roslyn L. Knutson
14. Theatre and controversy, 1603–42 Janette Dillon
15. The Stuart masque and its makers David Lindley
16. Clowns, fools and knaves: stages in the evolution of acting Peter Thomson
17. Thomas Middleton's A Game at Chess: a case study Richard Dutton
18. The condition of the theatres in 1642 Martin Butler
19. Theatre and Commonwealth Janet Clare
Works cited
Index.

Subject Areas: Popular culture [JFCA], Literary studies: plays & playwrights [DSG], Theatre direction & production [ANF], Theatre studies [AN]