Subject Guide ~ Theatre

Vol. 1 begins in Roman Britain and ends with Charles II's restoration to the throne imminent. Covers pre-Elizabethan theatre, the riches of the Elizabethan era, and theatrical developments during and after the reigns of James I and Charles I.
Vol. 2 begins with the restoration of King Charles II to the throne and the reestablishment of the professional theater, interdicted since 1642, and follows developments through 1895. Includes descriptions of the theaters, actors and actresses, acting companies, dramatists and dramatic genres, along with accounts of the audiences, politics and morality, scenography, provincial theater, theatrical legislation, the long-drawn-out competition of major and minor theaters, and the ultimate revocation of the theatrical monopoly of Drury Lane and Covent Garden.
Vol. 3 looks at the English, Scottish and Welsh theaters in the 20th century. Investigates the major aspects of theatrical performance, ranging from the great actor-managers to humble seaside entertainers, from between-wars West End women playwrights to the roots of professional theater in Wales and Scotland, and from the challenges of alternative theatres to the economics of theater under Thatcher.