'Oxford Shakespeare Topics' (General Editors Peter Holland and Stanley Wells) provide students, teachers, and interested readers with short books on important aspects of Shakespeare criticism and scholarship, including some general anthologies relating to Shakespeare.
The Shakespearean Stage is the only authoritative book that describes all the main features of the original staging of Shakespearean drama in one volume: the acting companies and their acting styles, the playhouses, the staging and the audiences. For twenty years it has been hailed as not only the most reliable but the liveliest and most entertaining overview of Shakespearean theater available to students. For this third edition Professor Gurr has substantially revised the book, bringing it right up to date and incorporating many new discoveries, including those of the archaeologists at the sites of the Rose and Globe theaters. The invaluable appendix, which lists all the plays performed at a particular playhouse, the playing company and date of performance, has also been revised and rearranged.
Focusing on the original staging of Shakespeare's plays, this book delves into the architectural and spatial dynamics of Renaissance playhouses. It examines how the physical environment influenced performances and audience engagement, offering insights into the theatrical practices of the time. Through detailed analysis, it highlights the interplay between space and storytelling, shedding light on how these elements shaped the experience of Shakespearean drama in its historical context.
Over the past thirty-five years Andrew Gurr's work has become the standard means of access to the original Shakespearean theatre and the staging of Shakespeare's plays. This is a selection of his key essays about the conditions under which Shakespeare and his contemporaries composed their playbooks.