The Royal Court Theatre and the Modern Stage (Cambridge Studies in Modern Theatre)

The Royal Court Theatre is one of the primary forums in the development of post-war drama. Under the title of the English Stage Company the theatre's house actors and dramatists commissioned and produced some of the most influential plays in modern theatre history, including the works of Brenton, Churchill, Bond and Osborne. The story of the Royal Court is also the history of the contemporary stage. In this absorbing account of the theatre's history from 1956 to 1998, first published in 1999, Philip Roberts draws on previously unpublished archives in both public and private collections and a series of interviews with people prominent in the Court's life. The book also includes a Foreword by the former Director of the Royal Court, Max Stafford-Clark. The result is an intimate account of the working of the foremost house of modern drama and its relationships to the world of the theatre in Britain and abroad Frontmatter Foreword (Max Stafford-Clark, page xi) Preface (page xiii) Acknowledgements (page xv) List of abbreviations (page xvii) Biographical notes (page xix) Introduction: abortive schemes, 1951-1954 (page 1) 1 Coincidences, 1954-1956 (page 17) 2 The struggle for control, 1956-1960 (page 45) 3 Conflict and competition, 1961-1965 (page 79) 4 A socialist theatre, 1965-1969 (page 105) 5 A humanist theatre, 1969-1975 (page 129) 6 Changing places, 1975-1979 (page 151) 7 Theatre in a cold climate, 1980-1986 (page 170) 8 Holding on, 1987-1993 (page 195) Afterword (page 219) Notes (page 230) Select bibliography (page 254) Index (page 277) The Royal Court Theatre produced some of the most influential plays in modern theatre, including works of Brenton, Churchill, Bond and Osborne. In this account, from 1956 to 1998, Philip Roberts employs unpublished archives and interviews and includes a Foreword by the former Director of the Royal Court, Max Stafford-Clark. An account of the Royal Court Theatre's history from 1956 to 1998, Philip Roberts's text is based upon archives in both public and private collections and a series of interviews with people prominent in the Court's life Philip Roberts. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 254-276) And Index.