London Civic Theatre

City Drama and Pageantry from Roman Times to 1558

Anne Lancashire author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:24th Oct '02

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London Civic Theatre cover

This book presents a rich picture of civic theatrical life in London, from Roman amphitheatre shows to Tudor pageantry.

Civic theatre - drama and pageantry sponsored by city and town governing bodies - has been largely ignored in histories of pre-Elizabethan London. Anne Lancashire provides a rich picture of civic theatrical life in London before 1558: from Roman amphitheatre shows to medieval and Tudor mummings, street pageantry, and plays.Civic theatre - drama and pageantry sponsored by city and town governing bodies - is prominent in histories of early English provincial drama but has been largely ignored for pre-Elizabethan London. Anne Lancashire explodes the widely held notion that significant London theatre arose only in the age of Shakespeare, when the first commercial playhouses were built there. She outlines the extent and types of early civic theatrical performance, specifically in London, from Roman times to Elizabeth I's accession to the throne in 1558, focusing on Roman amphitheatre shows, medieval and early Tudor plays, mummings, royal entries, and other kinds of street pageantry. With evidence from a multitude of primary sources and extensive use of early chronicle histories, the book raises questions about this urban, largely political theatre which provided an important foundation for the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

Review of the hardback: '… a major, eye-opening book about London theatre before Shakespeare, written by the scholar who knows the subject from the ground to the top.' Scott McMillin
Review of the hardback: 'A work of awe-inspiring scholarship covering 1500 years of civic theater in London. [It] will undoubtedly become standard reference material for anyone interested in the field …This book is a monumental achievement.' Studies in English Literature
Review of the hardback: 'This book should be required reading for all scholars and teachers of drama and theatre, not only because it establishes many of the facts (and corrects many of the fictions) about theatre in London before 1558, but also because it demonstrates the extent to which Medieval theatre in general was a civic activity …' English Studies in Canada

ISBN: 9780521632782

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 25mm

Weight: 720g

376 pages