British Theatre Since the War by Dominic Shellard
British theatre of the past fifty years has been brilliant, varied, and controversial, encompassing invigorating indigenous drama, politically didactic writing, the formation of such institutions as the National Theatre, the exporting of musicals worldwide from the West End, and much more. This entertaining and authoritative book is the first comprehensive account of British theatre in this period. Dominic Shellard moves chronologically through the half-century, discussing important plays, performers, directors, playwrights, critics, censors, and agents as well as the social, political, and financial developments that influenced the theatre world. Drawing on previously unseen material (such as the Kenneth Tynan archives), first-hand testimony, and detailed research, Shellard tackles several long-held assumptions about drama of the period. He questions the dominance of Look Back in Anger in the 1950s, arguing that much of the theatre of the ten years prior to its première in 1956 was vibrant and worthwhile. He suggests that theatre criticism, theatre producers, and such institutions as the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company have played key roles in the evolution of recent drama. And he takes a fresh look at the work of Terence Rattigan, Harold Pinter, Joe Orton, Alan Ayckbourn, Timberlake Wertenbaker, and other significant playwrights of the modern era. The book will be a valuable resource not only for students of theatre history but also for any theatre enthusiast.
Dominic Shellard is head of the Department and School of English Literature at the University of Sheffield. His many publications include Kenneth Tynan: Theatre Writings, British Theatre Since the War, and William Shakespeare. Ewan Jeffrey teaches postwar and twentieth-century British theatre at the University of Winchester. Kate Dorney, curator of contemporary drama at the Victoria and Albert Museum s Theatre Museum, researches and teaches within the field of contemporary drama.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780300087376 |
| ISBN 10 | 0300087373 |
| Title | British Theatre Since the War |
| Author | Dominic Shellard |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Yale University Press |
| Year published | 2000-09-10 |
| Number of pages | 280 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |