This work provides a comprehensive account of drama written and performed in English from its roots in the medieval mystery plays to the progress of drama in Britain and America since 1945. The volumes, which are arranged chronologically, critically examine the drama, playwrights, actors and audiences of each period in their social and historical context.
Key themes in The Revels History of Drama include:
* the changing attitudes of audiences and public taste
* the developing roles of actors, managers and directors
* the evolution of acting styles
Each volume...

Of all Shakespeare's tragedies, Othello, with its issues of racism, jealousy and sexual stereotyping seems most immediate to contemporary audiences. Traces Othello's acting tradition as it has affected the roles of Othello, Desdemona and Iago - demonstrating the emphasis placed on different characters in different countries. Examines various stage and screen versions of the play which reflect or challenge current views about race and gender. In depth study of famous Othello actor Paul Robeson, comparing his career to that of Ira Aldridge. The range of productions examined means that the book...

This book is a study of the various kinds of royalist writing during the period of the English Civil War and the Interregnum.

This collection explores the rich literary and visual origins and afterlives of the popular legend. It examines Robin's portrayal as outlaw hero and the significance of his traditional setting in the 'merry greenwood, ' both in England and in the Brandywine Valley that became the Sherwood Forest of illustrators Howard Pyle and N.C. Wyeth. Complemented by thirty black-and-white illustrations and six color plates, the varied essays in this collection should deepen and enrich the study of a figure of seemingly endless variety. Through the analysis of various 'texts'_May games, ballads,...

The Life of William Shakespeare is a fascinating and wide-ranging exploration of Shakespeare's life and works focusing on oftern neglected literary and historical contexts: what Shakespeare read, who he worked with as an author and an actor, and how these various collaborations may have affected his writing.

• Written by an eminent Shakespearean scholar and experienced theatre reviewer
• Pays particular attention to Shakespeare's theatrical contemporaries and the ways in which they influenced his writing
• Offers an intriguing account of the life and...

A highly readable and illustrated introduction to the work of Milton, which provides both a biographical account of the poet and his influences, and a critical survey of his poetry.

A highly readable introduction to the life and work of Milton.

For this updated critical edition of King Lear, Lois Potter has written a completely new introduction, taking account of recent productions and reinterpretations of the play, with a particular emphasis on its afterlife in global performance and adaptation.