The Actor and the Text
by Cicely Berry
Cicely Berry has been the RSC's Director of Voice for many years and perhaps more than anyone else has been responsible for the company's distinctive style. In this classic book she how voice work can explore, illuminate and bring alive even the most difficult texts. Every actor or would-be actor should study this book.
Paperback
Aphra Behn: The Rover and Other Plays
by Aphra Behn, edited by Jane Spencer
Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was the first major British woman playwright and the first to be a professional. "The Rover" is regarded as her best play.
Paperback
The Theatre of Steven Berkoff
by Steven Berkoff
A stunning pictorial record of over 20 years of Berkoff's productions, interspersed with his own commentary, this book is a must for anyone interested in physical theatre.
Paperback
Your Guide's Review
Bond - Plays One
by Edward Bond
Bond's "Saved", the first play in this volume, was first performed at the Royal Court in 1962 and made an immediate impact - and caused tremendous controversy. This volume also contains two other plays, also performed at the Royal Court in the sixties - "Early Morning" and "The Pope's Wedding" - together with notes by the author himself.
Paperback
The Cambridge Guide to Theatre
by Martin Banham
This is the essential reference book for every theatre-lover. There are over 3,000 entries on every conceivable theatrical topic. Apart from its reference use, it's a great book to browse through. Not cheap, but worth every penny!
Hardcover
Oh What a Lovely War
by Charles Chilton (with Joan Littlewood and Theatre Workshop)
This is the play which really established political theatre in its 1960s and 1970s form. Another significant moment in twentieth century British theatre.
Paperback
The Careless Husband
by Colley Cibber, edited by William W. Appleton
Cibber is remembered for being one of those who "corrected" Shakespeare's plays because of their "doubtful taste". He was also one of the writers of sentimental comedies which were the vogue at the end of the seventeenth century. This play is typical of both Cibber and the genre.
Paperback
Coward: Three Plays
by Noel Coward
The three plays in this collection are "Blithe Spirit", "Hay Fever" and "Private Lives", perhaps the best known and most popular of Coward's plays. They provide an excellent introduction to his work.
Paperback
Murder in the Cathedral
by T.S. Eliot
"Murder in the Cathedral" was one of the few attempts to write poetic tragedy in the twentieth century. Written by one of the foremost poets of the age, it is a gtreat poetic achievement but rather less successful as theatre. Nonetheless it is a significant play and one which is still performed.
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The Encyclopedia of Pantomime
by David Pickering
This is the definitive guide to a peculiarly British theatrical tradition. Apart from a thorough reference section, there are articles on panto today, on how to write a panto, and on the panto performer, as well as quotations, a chronology and an excellent bibliography.
Hardcover
Everyman
edited by James Jennings
Although not the first of the Morality plays, this is certainly the best known and is an excellent example of the genre. Essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the development of theatre in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Paperback
Farquhar: The Recruiting Officer and Other Plays
by George Farquhar, edited by William Myers
Farquhar was the last of the writers of Restoration Comedy and "The Recruiting Officer" is generally regaded as one of his best - if not THE best - of his plays.
Paperback
Fielding: Historical Register for the Year 1736 & Eurydice Hissed
by Henry Fielding
Best known as a novelist, Fielding began his writing life as a playwright. His plays were bitter statires, and the first in this volume, written in 1737, was directly responsible for the introduction of the Theatre Licensing Act of that year.
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The Lady's Not for Burning
by Christopher Fry
Fry was one of the few twentieth century playwrights to write in a poetic vein, although not always in verse. This, for me, is his most succesful play: funny, serious, just a little whimsical - but with bite!
Paperback
Gammer Gurton's Needle in Three Acts
by I.E. Clark
A modern adaptation of the sixteenth century play, thought to be by William Stephenson (died 1575). It followed "Ralph Roister Doister" but is more down-to-earth and English than its predecessor, which is very consciously classical.
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Goldsmith: She Stoops to Conquer
by Oliver Goldsmith, edited by J.A. Lavin
Goldsmith was only surpassed by Sheridan amonst the playwrights of the eighteenth century, and the two of them are on a far higher plane than the rest. This is his best-known and best work: although witty, it still retains some of the characteristics of the sentimental comedies which were the staple fare of the time.
Paperback
Gorboduc
by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, edited by Irby B. Cauthen Jnr.
The first English tragedy (1562), written very much in the style of the Roman writer Seneca, it laid the foundations for the great tragedies which were to follow.
Paperback
Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre
by Keith Johnstone
Beware! This book will change your perception of theatre! If you don't already know Johnstone's classic work, you are missing a unique insight into the way theatre works. A "bible" for improvisation practitioners, it has a tremendous amount to offer the theatrical mainstream.
Paperback
Abigail's Party
by Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh's plays, which began with in-depth improvisation, have had some imitators, but none had the artistic integrity of Leigh's work. This is probably the best known and most revived of his plays.
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Lyly: Plays
by John Lyly, edited by J.B. Steane
Regarded as somewhat of a minor playwright today, Lyly (c.1553-1605) was highly thought of in his day. He wrote for the "Boy's Companies", a tradition of aristocratic, private theatre, quite different from the public theatre which is much better known. Lyly has the distinction of being the first to use prose in a tragedy.
Paperback
A Good Night Out
by John McGrath
McGrath proposes an alternative to the mainstream of theatre, which he describes as middle class and intellectual. His theatre is very much based on the experience of the working class. A polemical book: even if you don't agree with him, this is a must-read!
Paperback
Your Guide's Review
The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black, Black Oil
by John McGrath
McGrath's most influential play with the 7:84 Theatre Company is now out of print, but secondhand copies can be found through this link. Written in the tradition of "Oh What a Lovely War", it is a hard-hitting but very entertaining piece of political theatre.
Paperback
Marlowe: The Complete Plays
by Christopher Marlowe
In many ways, Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare and, in his time, was as highly regarded. The influence of "Tamburlane", in particular, was enormous, changing the direction of the development of English drama.
Paperback
Thomas Morton: Plays
by George Colman the Younger and Thomas Morton
This books contains plays by both authors: Inkle & Yarico; The Surrender of Calis; The Children in the Wood, Blue Beard and, in particular, Speed the Plough, written by Morton in 1800, which is complex and melodramatic, and which introduced Mrs Grundy to the world!
Paperback
John Osborne: Plays 1
by John Osborne
This volume contains "Look Back in Anger", the play which introduced what we might call the modern age of British theatre. It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in theatre in the UK and, in my opinion, a fine play in itself.
Paperback
Plautus and Terence, Five Comedies by
by Plautus and Terence
The five plays in this collection - Bacchides, Menaechmi, Miles Gloriosus, Hecyra, & Adelphoe - represent the best known works of these two Roman playwrights who had a major influence on the development of English comedy in the sixteenth century.
Paperback
Ralph Roister Doister
by Nicholas Udall, adpated by I.E. Clark
This is a one-act adaptation of Udall's play which is rather more accessible to modern audiences than the original. Udall's work was strongly influenced by the Roman comedy of Plutus and Terence.
Paperback
Seneca: Four Tragedies and Octavia
by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, translated by E.F. Watling
Seneca was the major influence behind the development of English tragedy: thanks to him, for instance, the Elizabethans and their descendants used the five act form. It is, however, difficult to imagine his plays actually being performed!
Paperback
Shaffer: Amadeus
by Peter Shaffer
"Amadeus", the story of Mozart, was made into a successful film as well as being a successful play. First performed by the National Theatre as one of its first productions, it caused controversy because the rights were held by the Shubert Organisation in the USA.
Paperback
Shakespeare for Dummies
by John Doyle and Ray Lischner
Find Shakespeare difficult? You won't with this book as your companion. Doyle and Lischner divide everything about the Bard into easily digestible chunks and make them easily understandable. Even old Shakespeare hands may learn a thing or two - and be entertained!
Paperback
Shaw: Plays
by George Bernard Shaw
This collection cotains "Man & Superman", "Candida", "Arms and the Man" and "Mrs Warren's Profession", thus letting us see a fairly wide range of Shaw's work. Although not his greatest work, they are both typical and of some historical importance, "Mrs Warren's Profession", in particular, being very controversial in its day.
Paperback
Sheridan: The School for Scandal and Other Plays
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, edited by Michael Cordner
This volume also contains Sheridan's other two greatest plays, "The Rivals" and "The Critic". The eighteenth century was a thin time for playwriting, most of the work being produced being, at best, second rate. Sheridan stands head and shoulders above the rest and his plays still amuse today.
Paperback
Stoppard: The Real Inspector Hound, and Other Plays
by Tom Stoppard
This volme covers twenty years of Stoppard's work, including two of those which first made his name: "The Real Inspector Hound" and "After Magritte". No collection of modern drama is complete without work by Stoppard, and this volume provides an excellent introduction.
Paperback
Vanbrugh: The Relapse
by Sir John Vanbrugh, edited by Bernard Harris
This is Vanbrugh's first play, a debunking sequel to Colley Cibber's "Love's Last Shift", and makes a good introduction to the work of this writer of Restoration Comedy.
Paperback
Webster: The Duchess of Malfi and Other Plays
by John Webster, edited by Rene Weis
Also included in this volume is "The White Devil". These two tragedies are probably Webster's greatest works and are good examples of the genre post-Shakespeare.
Paperback
Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest & Other Plays
by Oacar Wilde
Wilde's most famous play, and almost certainly the best play written in the nineteenth century, is not only very witty and clever, but remains so to this day, over a hundred years later.
Paperback
The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook
The original handbook for writers in all genres, with listings of publishers, magazines and newspapers, agents, theatres, film and TV companies: all the markets for writers, in fact. There are also useful articles on copyright, taxation, literary prizes, and many other related topics.
Paperback
The Writers' Handbook
by Barry Turner
Similar to the Writers' and Artists' but written in a more relaxed style. he information contained in both these books is much the same: it is the style which is different, and that is a matter of taste
Paperback
Writing a Musical
by Richard Andrews
Ever fancied writing a musical but don't know where to start? Richard Andrews' book provides an easy to read introduction based on years of working on musicals in the West End. However his interest is very much the traditional musical and he has little interest in (and does not cover) the sung-through piece.
Hardcover
The York Mystery Plays: a Selection in Modern Spelling
by Richard Beadle and Pamela M. King
The York Cycle is the best known of the medieval Mystery Plays but its early English can be difficult to read. The authors have made it more accessible to a modern audience without destroying the medieval "feel". This is a useful selection from the 48 individual plays or pageants.
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