Changing Stages: A View of British and American Theatre in the [Hardcover]

Richard Eyre (Author), Nicholas Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2001

Through the flash points of its glorious history, Richard Eyre and Nicholas Wright, two of today's most distinguished men of the theatre, celebrate the British and American stage as it has evolved over the course of the twentieth century. From Pygmalion's first Eliza Doolittle (Mrs. Patrick Campbell, who enchanted playwright George Bernard Shaw in 1914) and her equally piquant successors, to Uta Hagen in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; from Gertrude Lawrence and Noël Coward in his Private Lives (their performance as dazzling as the play itself), to Michael Frayn's Copenhagen—this stylish, astute, richly pictorial volume brings us the actors, directors, and playwrights who have shaped one hundred years of the theatre and the performances that live on in our minds
.
Lotte Lenya in The Threepenny Opera, Laurence Olivier in the British production of Eugene O'Neill's viscerally American Long Day's Journey into Night, Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun, Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead . . . Here is the essential mixture of Shakespearean heritage, Irish magic, American vitality, and Russian pathos that converged on the stage in an efflorescence of dramatic innovation. Eyre and Wright's survey of this brilliant period is allusive, intelligent, and intimate, rich in anecdote and infused with a deep love and understanding of the theatre.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A highly personal and encapsulated overview of British and world theater (with particular focus on the American scene), this breezy, copiously illustrated book was written as preparation for a BBC-TV series, Changing Stages. Eyre, director of London's Royal National Theatre, and Wright, an actor and playwright (of the hit Mrs. Klein and others), know all the inside poop on English playwrights like Noel Coward and Terrence Rattigan (about whom they are candid to the point of bitchiness) and on most of the major English Shakespeare productions of the last 100 years. A chapter on Bertolt Brecht, entitled "B.B." is a vigorous presentation of that still-controversial writer, and the book is particularly good on the various waves of British playwrighting, from the Angry Young Men of the 1950s and '60s to trendy phenomena like Patrick Marber's Closer and Mark Ravenhill's saucily titled Shopping and Fucking. Throughout, there is a keen attention to developments and strong personal reactions to everything, even if the point of view on the American scene often seems more remote (as when claiming that the Broadway version of South Pacific presented "real, indeed contemporary life") though faves of the British stage like Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller come through clearly. (Aug.) Forecast: The musings of these two very well-informed Brit theater fanatics are a sure bet for any midsize or larger collection on world theater, although its skimpy index and lack of bibliography may disappoint some academic readers, and a "Calendar of Notable Events" offered as appendix is so elliptical as to be more jarring than useful. These caveats aside, enthusiasts and the uninitiated alike will, with a nod to Joe Orton, prick up their ears.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

When asked to prepare a TV series on 20th-century theater, Royal National Theatre directors Eyre, an accomplished stage director, and Wright, an actor and playwright, began by writing this book. Selective in focus, this illustrated volume is nonacademic and personal (even moody), with a distinct ability to point out the ridiculous. The authors do not pretend to have the last word; instead, they look at British and American theater obsessively, through the lens of the National Theatre and British pride. The book often shifts into neutral by narrating plays' plots, but then it comes back into gear with a witty, clearheaded overview of a playwright or period. The Wilde legacy, for example, is treated as the history of censorship. There are minor playwrights who should not have been covered, some major playwrights who get short shrift, and some passages that are sharp and accurate (e.g., the discussions of Sam Shepard and Tom Stoppard). A useful introduction to 20th-century, English-speaking theater. Thomas E. Luddy, Salem State Coll., MA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Knopf (August 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375412034
• ISBN-13: 978-0375412035
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,797,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise Package of 20th Century British Theatre, April 21, 2005

By 

Bohdan Kot (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Changing Stages: A View of British and American Theatre in the (Hardcover)

"Changing Stages," the companion volume to the PBS television, is a triumph. Bravo to the authors Richard Eyre and Nicholas Wright for bringing their insider know-how on to the page. Eyre was the artistic director of the Royal National Theatre. Wright was an associate director with the Royal National Theatre, as well as being an actor and playwright.

There are no wasted breaths here. One cannot spare any as 100 years of theater are seamlessly encased in this volume. The encyclopedic knowledge is enhanced with stunning and arresting black-and-white photos. The subtitle, "A View of British and American Theatre in the Twentieth Century," however is misleading. The main focus is the British theatre. Eyre and Wright examine the American (Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams), Irish (William Butler Yeats) and other nation's theatre only to illustrate the effects on Britain's theater community and vice versa. Some exceptions are the Bavarian-born enigmatic Bertolt Brecht and Ireland's Oscar Wilde; both are given ample room due to their profound influence. But British playwrights and their plays are the lion's share of the book. British actors, such as Laurence Oliver and John Gielgud, are mentioned for their contributions to the "structural change to the theatre."

"Changing Stages" is broken down into 14 topics, including: Shakespeare, Wilde and After. A timeline is also furnished: a reference to grasp the past century of live performance in an easy manner. The witty and lucid writing is irresistible. Both novice and seasoned theatre lover will find this book a welcome addition to their library. One can read straight through or pluck jewels via the topics or index guide. Eyre and Wright are magicians for materializing a concise package of 20th century theatre within 400 pages. A joyous read for any fan of this living art.

Bohdan Kot