The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage

Description

This Companion is designed for readers interested in past and present productions of Shakespeare's plays, both in and beyond Britain. The first six chapters describe aspects of the British performing tradition in chronological sequence, from the early staging of Shakespeare's own time, through to the present day. Each relates Shakespearean developments to broader cultural concerns and adopts an individual approach and focus, on textual adaptation, acting, stages, scenery or theatre management. These are followed by three explorations of acting: tragic and comic actors and women performers of Shakespeare roles. A section on international performance includes chapters on interculturalism, on touring companies and on political theatre, with separate accounts of the performing traditions of North America, Asia and Africa. Over forty pictures illustrate peformers and productions of Shakespeare from around the world. An amalgamated list of items for further reading completes the book.

Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor and Director of the Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham. He is General Editor of the Oxford Shakespeare, editor of The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies (1986), coeditor, with Margreta de Grazia, of The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare (2001), co-author of William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion (1987) and author of Shakespeare: A Dramatic Life (1995). Sarah Stanton is Publishing Director and Senior Commissioning Editor at Cambridge University Press, in charge of the Shakespeare studies list. She has served as coeditor of Banham and Stanton, The Cambridge Paperback Guide to Theatre (Cambridge, 1996).

'The extraordinary range and learning encapsulated in The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage make it an invaluable guide for students of Shakespeare in Performance across the globe, either for extended reading or topical search.' Ian Carruthers, La Trobe 'The admirable collection of essays gathered in The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage is an invaluable aid to students and teachers. Jargon free, it provides succinct but detailed coverage of British and international stage performances of Shakespeare ... a splendid book ... Shakespeare on Stage is a first-class resource for anyone interested in Shakespeare in performance ... the quality of writing provides a rich fund of thought-provoking essay titles and seminar topics.' Around the Globe 'All in all, a remarkable volume: one of the best in the Cambridge Companions series. In short, all libraries should purchase.' Reference Reviews 'Once again, the Cambridge University Press has clearly spared no effort or expense to bring us this absorbing Companion ... It is the type of book which is easily accessible to everyone who loves to act or direct - or just to read the collected works. The contributors are an amalgam of literary giants and Shakespeare authorities as well as critics and practitioners of his plays.' Amateur Stage 'Once again, the Cambridge University Press has clearly spared no effort or expense to bring us this absorbing Companion which I suspect will find places on the shelves of scholars, teachers and practitioners of both the works of Shakespeare and of theatre practice throughout the world ... it is a book which will never leave my shelves other than for my own indulgent browsing ...'. Amateur Stage