A Midsummer Night's Dream

Description

This volume describes the theatrical fortunes of A Midsummer Night's Dream on the British stage, from the 1590s to the 1990s. A substantial introduction traces the rise of the play from theatrical neglect in the eighteenth century through the spectacular productions of the nineteenth century to its current high status. The authoritative Cambridge text of the play is accompanied by detailed notes on actors' interpretations, settings, textual alterations, and the conceptions of individual directors from David Garrick to Robert Lepage. It will be invaluable to students of Shakespeare in performance.

'Cambridge has come up with an excellent new series, Shakespeare in Production, which is going to be invaluable to anybody studying, acting, or producing his plays.' Plays and Players Applause Magazine 'Shakespeare in Production ... is ... ideally suited to people like me: people as interested in the stage history of a Shakespearean play as in its text. What distinguishes these editions, and makes them of particular interest to drama and theatre departments, is their unique concentration on theatrical production.' Studies in Theatre Production ' A complete success ... the secret lies in its copious annotation, which is entirely confined to matters of theatre history, stage-business, and actor-interpretation. The quantity and quality and fine detail of the information that Griffiths supplies is truly remarkable, as is his excellent and extensive introductory essay.' Forum for Modern Language Studies 'I cannot recommend too highly the whole series (a bargain at GBP16.99 for each play) to all theatre lovers, theatregoers, theatre practitioners, and anybody who enjoys Shakespeare.' Robert Tanitch, What's on in London