This edition includes four plays and one libretto, covering more than twenty years of the dramatist's career: The Palace of Truth (1870), Sweethearts (1874), Princess Toto (1876), Engaged (1877) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (1891). The collection demonstrates that Gilbert was an original dramatist in his own right. The sophisticated irony of his plays challenged the conventions of the Victorian burlesque and sentimental comedy by demanding, and receiving, an intelligent response from the audience. George Rowell's useful ...
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This edition includes four plays and one libretto, covering more than twenty years of the dramatist's career: The Palace of Truth (1870), Sweethearts (1874), Princess Toto (1876), Engaged (1877) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (1891). The collection demonstrates that Gilbert was an original dramatist in his own right. The sophisticated irony of his plays challenged the conventions of the Victorian burlesque and sentimental comedy by demanding, and receiving, an intelligent response from the audience. George Rowell's useful and thorough introduction, which presents the theatrical background to Gilbert's development, also shows the dramatist's influence on Pinero, Wilde and Shaw. Gilbert's style combines a technique rarely realistic and stretching to fantasy with a tone apparently cynical and in fact deeply pessimistic. This odd pairing of fantasy and fatalism was recognized by his own and later generations as 'Gilbertian' and the term has been widely applied even outside the theatre.
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Seller's Description:
This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In good all round condition. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 500grams, ISBN: 0521235898.
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Seller's Description:
Very good in very good dust jacket. Ex-library. 189 p. British and American Playwrights. Audience: College/higher education. LCCN 81012248 Type of material Book Personal name Gilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck), 1836-1911. Uniform title Works. Selections. 1982 Main title Plays by W.S. Gilbert: The palace of truth, Sweethearts, Princess Toto, Engaged, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern / edited with an introduction and notes by George Rowell. Published/Created Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Description ix, 189 p. : ill., ports.; 24 cm. ISBN 0521235898 0521280567 (pbk. ) LC classification PR4713. A4 1982 Related names Rowell, George. Notes Bibliography: p. 188-189. Series British and American playwrights, 1750-1920 Dewey class no. 822/.8