A History of Irish Theatre 1601-2000 / Edition 1

by Christopher Morash

Overview

Chris Morash's widely-praised account of Irish Theatre traces an often forgotten history leading up to the Irish Literary Revival. He follows that history to the present by creating a picture of the cultural contexts which produced the playwrights responsible for making Irish theatre's worldwide historical and contemporary reputation. This book is an essential guide to the history and performance of Irish theatre. Hb ISBN (2002): 0-521-64117-9

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521646826
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/04/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Christopher Morash is Senior Lecturer in English at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. He has published extensively on Irish theatre and Irish cultural studies. He is the author of Writing the Irish Famine (1995), and Consultant-Editor for the theatre section of the Encyclopaedia of Ireland.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements; List of illustrations; Introduction; 1. Playing court: 1601–1692; A night at the theatre 1: Pompey, Smock Alley, February 10, 1663; 2. Stage rights, 1691–1782; A night at the theatre 2: Mahomet, Smock Alley, March 2, 1754; 3: 'Our National Theatre': 1782–1871; A night at the theatre 3: She Stoops to Conquer and Tom Thumb, Theatre Royal, Hawkins Street, December 14, 1822; 4: 'That Capricious Spirit': 1871–1904; A night at the theatre 4: The Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea, Abbey Theatre, January 29, 1907; 5: 'Not understanding the clock': 1904–1921; A night at the theatre 5: The Plough and the Stars, Abbey Theatre, February 11, 1926; 6: Aftermath: 1922–1951; A night at the theatre 6: Waiting for Godot, Pike Theatre, October 28, 1955; 7: Phoenix flames: 1951–1972; A night at the theatre 7: Translations, Guildhall, Derry, September 23, 1980; A night at the theatre 8: Babel: 1972–2000; A millennial flourish: conclusions; Chronology.

Editorial Reviews

"Morash writes clearly and forcefully....This book will appeal to anyone who is interested in Irish history and culture, and to anyone who simply loves the theater." Choice

"valuable reading for anyone interested in drama in Ireland, but can also benefit the general reader who enjoys learning about Irish history and culture." Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky

"If the book achieved nothing else than evoking a persistent sense of theatricality over textuality, then it would have earned its place in the higher echelons of theatre scholarship. That it does so in such detail and across such a range of productions...makes the book required reading on any university course on theatre or Irish culture." - Paul Murphy, Queen's University Belfast

From the Publisher