Acting, direction, stagecraft, theatre architecture and design, the extraordinary evolution of dramatic literature - here is an all-embracing and richly illustrated history, global in scope and ranging from the ancient origins of the theatre in the choral hymns sung around the altar of Dionysus to the fascinating variety of forms that it has taken in our own age. For this fourth edition, Enoch Brater, Kenneth T. Rowe Professor of Dramatic Literature at the University of Michigan and a specialist on modern and contemporary drama, has revised and extended his final chapter to update the discussion. He surveys performance art, political theatre, new genres, live broadcasts and extravagant spectacles, showcasing the constant and dynamic evolution of stage performance, from classics reinvented to groundbreaking new work.

The essential guide the history of theatre, updated and extended to cover the key themes and shows of early twenty-first century drama

About the Author
The late Phyllis Hartnoll was editor of The Oxford Companion to the Theatre. Enoch Brater is Kenneth T. Rowe Collegiate Professor of Dramatic Literature & Professor of English and Theater at the University of Michigan.

Reviews
'A reliable and detailed document, richly illustrated, of use to students of history and theatre alike' - The Times Educational Supplement



Book Information
ISBN 9780500204092
Author Phyllis Hartnoll
Format Paperback
Page Count 312
Imprint Thames & Hudson Ltd
Publisher Thames & Hudson Ltd
Weight(grams) 740g