The Profession of the Playwright: British Theat, Stephens, Russell<-

The Profession of the PlaywrightBritish Theatre, 18001900\nAuthor(s): John Russell Stephens\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom\nImprint: Cambridge University Press\nISBN-13: 9780521034432, 978-0521034432\nSynopsis\nThis book examines the working world of the playwright in nineteenth-century Britain. It was often a risky and financially uncertain profession, yet the magic of the theatre attracted authors from widely different backgrounds - journalists, lawyers, churchmen, civil servants, printers and actors, as well as prominent poets and novelists. In a fascinating account of the frustrations and the rewards of dramatic authorship, Stephens uncovers information on the playwright's earnings, relationships with actors, managers, publishers and audience, and offers a perspective on his growing status as a professional. Further chapters focus on the struggle for copyright reform and the complexities of dramatic publishing. A large number of major an.