A major new reference tool that gathers for the first time all discovered Restoration promptbooks, with full facsimiles of the rich est ones and transcriptions of the prompt notes in the remainder. This book is the product of 25 years of searching in libraries and private collections in England and America by the distinguished coauthor of A Biographical Dictionary. Among the best sources of information about Res toration staging, acting, and theatre architec ture, these promptbooks have been so diffi cult of access that ...
Read More
A major new reference tool that gathers for the first time all discovered Restoration promptbooks, with full facsimiles of the rich est ones and transcriptions of the prompt notes in the remainder. This book is the product of 25 years of searching in libraries and private collections in England and America by the distinguished coauthor of A Biographical Dictionary. Among the best sources of information about Res toration staging, acting, and theatre architec ture, these promptbooks have been so diffi cult of access that most of them have never been studied in detail and a number of them are presented here by Langhans for the first time. As many of the promptbooks contain cuts and changes, they reveal how the players respected or ignored the playwright's wishes. In an introduction, Langhans discusses the identifying features of promptbooks, their preparation, and their disposition; the audiences for which productions were pre pared; the layout of a typical Restoration playhouse; the duties of the prompter and his backstage colleagues; acting conventions of the time; and the probability of further promptbook discoveries. Among the most valuable promptbooks are The Change of Crownes by Edward Howard, Aglaura and Brennoralt by Sir John Suckling, The Loyal Subject by John Fletcher, The Sisters, The Ball , The Wittie Faire One , and The Maides Revenge by James Shirley, The Lady-Errant and The Ordinary by William Cartwright, The Vow-Breaker by William Sampson, The Wise-Woman of Hogsdon by Thomas Heywood, Tyrannick Love by John Dryden, and The Albion Queens by John Banks. Appendixes provide brief examinations of some pre- and post-Restoration prompt-books, a facsimile of a manuscript prompt-book from Restoration Dublin, and a study of the only known actor's "part" from Restora tion London. More than seventy prompt-books or related documents are examined in part or in detail by Langhans.
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. No dust jacket as issued. Size: 6x0x9; The binding is tight, corners sharp. Text and images unmarked. A faint ripple along pages 508 to the RFEP. The slipcase shows some very light handling. Oblong 4to. xxvii, 535pp.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good in No D/J jacket. Size: 12x9x1; Slight fading to spine. Rubbing to edges and corners of slipcase with scratch/slight split to one edge. Book very good, slipcase good. Previous owners decorative stamp and signature to verso of ffep.
