Romantic and Revolutionary Theatre, 1789-1860

Description

Taking as notional parameters the upheaval of the French Revolution and the events leading up to the Unification of Italy, this volume charts a period of political and social turbulence in Europe and its reflection in theatrical life. Apart from considering external factors like censorship and legal sanctions on theatrical activity, the volume examines the effects of prevailing operational conditions on the internal organization of companies, their repertoire, acting, stage presentation, playhouse architecture and the relationship with audiences. Also covered are technical advances in stage machinery, scenography and lighting, the changing position of the playwright and the continuing importance of various street entertainments, particularly in Italy, where dramatic theatre remained the poor relation of the operatic, and itinerant acting troupes still constituted the norm. The 460 documents, many of them illustrated, have been drawn from sources in Britain, France and Italy and have been annotated, and translated where appropriate.

Donald Roy is Emeritus Professor of Drama at the University of Hull. Before retiring in 1997, Professor Roy occupied Hull's first chair of Drama as well as visiting professorships in the USA. He has published books on Moliere, J. R. Planche, and Jacques Copean and the Cartel des Quatre, and contributed to The Cambridge Guide to World Theatre (1988) and other international encyclopedias.