London Stage in the Nineteenth Century - Hardcover

"This illustrated reference transports general readers and students back to the golden age of London theater, an era of pageantry and technical innovations on the stage, with year-by-year entries on London's stage performers, performances, and productions in the 19th century. Coverage encompasses premiers by playwrights including Oscar Wilde and Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as revivals of Shakespeare and adaptations of novels by Dickens. The book includes 220 b&w historical photos and illustrations from the Westminster Libraries and Archives Theater Collection, showing actors, actresses, buildings, productions, and souvenir programs and playbills. Tanitch has written other books on theater."--Reference and Research Book News

Just like Robert Tanitch's critically acclaimed book on the London stage in the twentieth century, this wonderful new book is 'fascinating - absolutely wonderful for finding what you aren't looking for'. Presented chronologically, the concise and well-crafted entries describe all of the major new plays and revivals, great actors, famous performances and spectacular productions, with a wicked sprinkling of acerbic reviews and spicy criticism. Over 250 contemporary illustrations of theatres, actors, playbills and productions help evoke the dramatic atmosphere of a period in which the lavish was expected - including erupting volcanoes, one performance with a cast of 650, and a reconstruction of Henley Regatta, complete with real boats and 200 tons of water. This is a joyous celebration of 100 years of all things theatrical. A total pleasure to dip into - and a real feast for the eye - this book is a must for theatre-lovers the world over.