Product Description

This volume begins with the naturalistic revolt in France against traditional styles of theatre. As realism becomes a European movement the account moves from Paris to the Meiningen company and Ibsen’s work as producer and play-wright in Oslo, Chekhov’s in Moscow, Shaw’s in London, Synge’s in Dublin. Among the producers are Antoine, Brahm, Grein, Granville-Baker, Nemirovich-Danchenko and Stanislavsky. The early days of the Irish Dramatic Movement and the chief realistic directors and critics in the USA after Belasco are considered; the tradition is shown to persist in the work of Williams and Miller in the USA and Osborne and Bond in England.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32718 in Books
• Published on: 1983-06-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 217 pages

Customer Reviews

Perfect Balance of Hisotry and Theory
Often I find when reading books that trace theoretical beginnings to be a mere recollection of events. This book is built on a chronological order of happenings, and all are explained. However, Styan gives explaination of WHY this surreal and WHY this is absurd, giving bibliographical references perfect for further reading on any topic.

The only slight downside is it's preoccupation with symbolism (I'd say half the book is on symbolism whiles the other half getting through Surrealism, absurd, the cruel, ritual, existentialism). The reason, I belive is that Styan seems to exert that all other schools are 'biolt upon' symbolism.

From Greek and Shakespearian roots of symbolism to modern day application and resultant 20th century movements.

Volume 2 is good as a standalone book aswell as being complementary to the other volumes.