The Shakespearean Stage 1574-1642 Book

Quite simply, the best book on original practices for Shakespeare's theatrical era. If you have ever asked the question, "What would it be like to be in the theatre as these original Renaissance plays were performed?", short of a time machine, this book will place you there. Andrew Gurr is the foremost expert on these matters, and he has updated to a 4th edition with all of the latest research and speculation on the theatrical world of Bankside. He covers the companies, the actors, the acting styles, the playwrights, the issue of "directing", managing a company, finances, the physical structure of the playhouses, the personalities involved, the audiences, the theatrical culture, censorship and authorization to perform, and the staging of performances within those physical spaces. Essential to anybody interested in English Renaissance theatrical performance and destined to remain the benchmark in the field for years to come.