Renaissance Drama in Action: An Introduction to Aspects of Theatre Practice and Performance - Softcover

"Martin White's "Renaissance Drama in Action draws together an extraordinary array of critical voices, literary and theatrical traditions, and dramatic texts in a book that will be of value to undergraduate students and theater professionals alike. With the recent spate of interest in reanimating textual and spatial architectures of the past (from the reconstructed Globe to the many current productions of neglected early modern plays), this book is timely indeed and should prove inspiring to students of performance. Any reader who works through this book will likely be convinced (or reminded) that performance studies is one of the most powerful approaches available for encouraging students to inhabit, revitalize, and transform the way we see that brave old world of early modern drama." -Carla Mazzio, "Shakespeare Quarterly "[O]verall the book offers an exciting and intellectual way to engage an audience, in this case the reader, in modern theatrical performance, demonstratingthat whether seated in a theater or locked in a study, the audience of a Renaissance play can be informed and entertained by a master writer." -"Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England

Renaissance Drama in Action is a fascinating exploration of Renaissance theatre practice and staging. Covering questions of contemporary playhouse design, verse and language, staging and rehearsal practices, and acting styles, Martin White relates the characteristics of Renaissance theatre to the issues involved in staging the plays today. This refreshingly accessible volume: * examines the history of the plays on the English stage from the seventeenth century to the present day * explores questions arising from reconstructions, with particular reference to the new Globe Theatre * includes interviews with, and draws on the work and experience of modern theatre practitioners including Harriet Walter, Matthew Warchus, Trevor Nunn, Stephen Jeffreys, Adrian Noble and Helen Mirren * includes discussions of familiar plays such as The Duchess of Malfi and 'Tis Pity She's A Whore, as well as many lesser known play-texts Renaissance Drama in Action offers undergraduates and A-level students an invaluable guide to the characteristics of Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, and its relationship to contemporary theatre and staging.