An Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance : Volume Two - From the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Age

An Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance chronicles the history and development of theatre from the Roman era to the present day. As the most public of arts, theatre constantly interacted with changing social, political and intellectual movements and ideas, and Robert Leach's masterful work restores to the foreground of this evolution the contributions of women, gay people and ethnic minorities, as well as the theatres of the English regions, and of Wales and Scotland. Highly illustrated chapters trace the development of theatre through major plays from each period; evaluations of playwrights; contemporary dramatic theory; acting and acting companies; dance and music; the theatre buildings themselves; and the audience, while also highlighting enduring features of British theatre, from comic gags to the use of props. Continuing on from the Enlightenment, Volume Two of An Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance leads its readers from the drama and performances of the Industrial Revolution to the latest digital theatre. Moving from Punch and Judy, castle spectres and penny showmen to Modernism and Postdramatic Theatre, Leach's second volume triumphantly completes a collated account of all the British Theatre History knowledge anyone could ever need. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of illustrations Preface Part one: Theatre and the Industrial Revolution Timeline 1 The rise of the ‘minors’ 2 Gothic 3 Imperial extravaganza 4 Penny showmen 5 Drama of the Industrial Revolution 6 Acting in melodrama 7 Joseph Grimaldi and Regency pantomime 8 The struggle for a free stage 9 Blood tubs, penny gaffs and the theatre of the streets 10 Factory acts 11 Northern strollers 12 Free and easy Select bibliography Interlude: Punch and Judy Part two: Romantic Theatre Timeline 13 Romantic drama 14 Romantic performance 15 The theatre deregulated 16 Staging the new imperialism 17 In search of a national theatre 18 Towards an Aristophanic drama 19 Women and Victorian theatre 20 On the margins 21 Mid-nineteenth century Scottish theatre 22 Heyday of the halls 23 Realism and respectability 24 Theatre in the provinces 25 Off stage 26 Fun 27 The actor-managers 28 Respectable Romantic acting 29 The gay nineties 30 Fallen women and bad girls Select bibliography Interlude: Toy theatres Part three: Modernist theatre Timeline 31 Shakespeare: A new start 32 Symbolist theatre 33 Ibsenism 34 Independent theatres 35 The new woman 36 Naturalism: The new drama 37 Naturalism on the stage 38 For the future 39 Theatre and women’s suffrage 40 The repertory movement 41 A pioneer 42 Other theatres 43 Modern Shakespeare 44 English workers theatre 45 Welsh drama: A slow awakening 46 Scottish modernist theatre 47 Expressionism on the stage 48 Christian drama 49 Theatre workshop Select bibliography Interlude: The art of Edward Gordon Craig’s theatre Part four: Commercial theatre Timeline 50 Staging the First World War 51 Musical comedy, revue and variety 52 The impresarios and their patrons 53 Well-made plays 54 The acting profession 55 Theatre and the Second World War 56 Post-war 57 Hard times 58 Revival? Select bibliography Interlude: Shakespeare Wallahs Part five: Popular theatres Timeline 59 Popular performance 60 Circus 61 Fit-ups 62 Lingering melodies 63 Beside the seaside 64 Twentieth century pantomime 65 Concert parties 66 Variety 67 The clubs 68 Stand-up Select bibliography Interlude: Mumming plays Part six: Subsidised theatre Timeline 69 CEMA into Arts Council 70 The English Stage Company at the Royal Court 71 Murmurs from abroad 72 Transformation 73 The regional reps 74 The rise of the director 75 Theatre and education 76 Alternative theatre 77 Theatre under Thatcher 78 Making the headlines 79 Scottish theatre before and after devolution 80 Towards the millennium 81 A new beginning? Select bibliography Interlude: Peter Brook and the empty space Part seven: Postdramatic theatre Timeline 82 Post-war: Post drama 83 Happenings and performance art 84 Visual and physical theatre 85 Site specific 86 Deconstruction 87 Multimedia Select bibliography Epilogue: Digital theatre Glossary Index "An Illustrated History of British Theatre chronicles the history and development of theatre from the Roman era to the present day. As the most public of arts, theatre constantly interacted with changing social, political, and intellectual movements and ideas, and Robert Leach's masterful work restores to the foreground of this evolution the contributions of women, gay people, and ethnic minorities, as well as the regional theatres of Wales and Scotland. Highly-illustrated chapters trace the development of theatre through major plays from each period; evaluations of playwrights; contemporary dramatic theory; acting and acting companies; dance and music; the theatre buildings themselves; and the audience, while also highlighting enduring features of British theatre, from comic gags to the use of props. This first volume spans from the earliest forms of performance to the popular theatres of high society and the Enlightenment, tracing a movement from the outdoor and fringe to the heart of the social world. The Illustrated History acts as an accessible, flexible basis for students of the theatre, and for pure fans of British theatre history there could be no better starting point"-- Provided by publisher La 4ème de couverture indique : An "Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance" chronicles the history and development of theatre from the Roman era to the present day. As the most public of arts, theatre constantly interacted with changing social, political, and intellectual movements and ideas, and Robert Leach's masterful work restores to the foreground of this evolution the contributions of women, gay people, and ethnic minorities, as well as the regional theatres of Wales and Scotland. Highly-illustrated chapters trace the development of theatre through major plays from each period; evaluations of playwrights; contemporary dramatic theory; acting and acting companies; dance and music; the theatre buildings themselves; and the audience, while also highlighting enduring features of British theatre, from comic gags to the use of props. Continuing on from the Enlightenment, Volume Two of "Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance" leads its reader from the drama and performances of the Industrial Revolution ti the latest digital theatre __An Illustrated History of British Theatre and Performance__Highly illustrated chapters trace the development of theatre through major plays from each period; evaluations of playwrights; contemporary dramatic theory; acting and acting companies; dance and music; the theatre buildings themselves; and the audience, while also highlighting enduring features of British theatre, from comic gags to the use of props.Continuing on from the Enlightenment, Volume Two of __and Performance__