ENGLISH

The Profession of the Playwright: British Theatre, 1800-1900

Book information

Year
2006
ISBN
0521034434, 9780511597572, 9780521259132, 9780521034432
Open Library ID
OL7715069M
Language
english
Format
DJVU
Filesize
1 MB (1565331 bytes)
Pages
276\274
Topic
History
Time added
2011-06-04 13:46:07

Description

This is the first book to examine the working world of the playwright in nineteenth-century Britain. It was often a risky and financially uncertain profession, yet the magic of the theater attracted authors from widely different backgrounds--journalists, lawyers, churchmen, civil servants, printers, and actors, as well as prominent poets and novelists. In a fascinating account of the frustrations and the rewards of dramatic authorship, Stephens uncovers fresh information on the playwright's earnings, relationships with actors, managers, publishers, and audience, and offers a new perspective on his growing status as a professional. Further chapters focus on the struggle for copyright reform and the complexities of dramatic publishing. A large number of major and minor authors are discussed, among them Planch?, Fitzball, Boucicault, Pinero, Grundy, Gilbert, Jones, and Shaw.

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