This Companion is designed for readers interested in past and present productions of the plays and to accompany the increasing number of courses devoted to the history of Shakespeare in performance. It addresses both British and international performance, from subjects such as British performing tradition, and Shakespearean developments to broader cultural concerns, tragic and comic acting, women performers of Shakespeare, and touring companies, among others.

Thomas Dekker's The Shoemaker's Holiday is one of the most popular of Elizabethan plays, entertaining, racy and vivid in its characterisation. Revealing a vital portrait of Elizabethan London and the interaction of social classes within the city, its social commentary is on the whole optimistic, though darker tones are discernible. The play has the whole optimistic, though darker tones are discernible. The play has had a lively history of performance on both the professional and amateur stage; the roles of Simon and Madgy Eyre in particular have proved worthy vehicles for the talents of such...

This volume consists of 14 masques, one of the most extravagant and spectacular forms of entertainment ever produced.