This is the ultimate anthology of theatrical anecdotes,edited by lifelong theatre-lover Gyles Brandreth in the Oxford tradition,and covering every kind of theatrical story and experience from the age of Shakespeare and Marlowe to the age of Stoppard and Mamet,from Richard Burbage to Richard Briers,from Nell Gwynn to Daniel Day-Lewis,from Sarah Bernhardt to Judi Dench.Players,playwrights,prompters,producers-they all feature. The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes provides a comprehensive,revealing,and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years.Many of the anecdotes are humorous: all have something pertinent and illuminating to say about an aspect of theatrical life-whether it is the art of playwriting,the craft of covering up missed cues,the drama of the First Night,the nightmare of touring,or the secret ingredients of star quality. Edmund Kean,Henry Irving,John Gielgud,Laurence Olivier,Ellen Terry,Edith Evans,Maggie Smith,Helen Mirren-the great'names'are all here,of course,but there are tales of the unexpected,too-and the unknown. This is a book-presented in five acts,with a suitably anecdotal and personal prologue from Gyles Brandreth-where,once in a while,the understudy takes centre-stage and Gyles Brandreth treats triumph and disaster just the same,including stories from the tattiest touring companies as well as from Broadway,the West End and theatres,large and small,in Australia,India,and across Europe.
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Publisher: Oxford University PressISBN: 9780198749585Weight: 948 gDimensions: 205 x 140 x 47 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
It is impossible to do justice here to the fullness of Brandreth's bran tub. It's a hamper of a book,overflowing with delights and the odd occasion for serious reflection....cracker of a book... with theatres closed because of coronavirus,The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes is about as close to a play we can get at the moment and it is well worth the admission price.The mix of solemnity and humour is perhaps a suitable homage to a great industry now in danger of dying,leaving in its wake only anecdotes about old times.... a chunky tome of a book containing scrupulously researched snippets of amusing theatrical chat... The prologue to the book is a mini masterpiece in itself and demonstrates with a quiet strenth and a familiar humour,the depth of Brandreth's love for the theatre and his remarkable insight into it... makes you smile,wonder and sympathise...Brandreth is always reliably funny....a sheer delight... this meaty volume will transport the reader into the world of make-believe and recount the very real exploits of the wizards who create it.This,of course,is not a book to read from cover to cover - it's one to dip into as and when the mood takes you. I heartily recommend you take the plunge.Funny,cringe-worthy,witty and wise,it's the perfect book for theatre-goers....provides a fascinating perspective on the history of British (and sometimes American or Australian) theatre... there's so much to enjoy here: it really is a book that keeps on giving,and will keep the reader happily dipping in and out for many weeks...The ever wonderful Gyles Brandreth edits this joyous and hugely entertaining new anthology of theatrical anecdotes... a comprehensive,revealing,and hugely entertaining portrait of the world of theatre across four hundred years.Completely brilliant. Gyles knows all the best theatre stories and he has collected them just for us. What a treat!
Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Brandreth is a British author,presenter and former politician,with a reputation as an accomplished raconteur and public speaker.
Visit the Gyles Brandreth author page
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