Derek Walcott & West Indian Drama: "Not Only a Playwright but a Company" The Trinidad Theatre Workshop 1959-1993 [Paperback]

Bruce King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 1997

Written at Derek Walcott's suggestion, and based on interviews with the playwright, this is the first detailed study of a post-colonial theatre company and the problems of creating "serious" theatre in the former British colonies. The book shows how the Nobel Prize winner strove to create a world class theatre ensemble in the West Indies--a Trinidadian Brecht Berliner ensemble--and traces his life and career in West Indian theatre and the history of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop. A major contribution to West Indian history and theatre, Bruce King's study reveals the heroic will of Derek Walcott, and his determination to prove that West Indian drama was a force with which to be reckoned.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Nobel laureate poet and dramatist Walcott founded the Trinidad Theatre Workshop. Walcott's plays, including Ti-Jean and His Brothers, Dream on Monkey Mountain, The Charlatan, and Haytian Earth, are widely acclaimed and have been produced throughout the Caribbean, North America, and Europe. This book recounts the story of how Walcott was able to create this world-class theater company and inspire it with his creativity and energy, also offering a discussion of the ongoing support the company receives from the Rockefeller Foundation. A detailed and scholarly work, this title fills a gap in theater history and is most likely to be read by serious students and historians. Recommended for large academic collections.
Howard E. Miller, Alliance Blue Cross & Blue Shield Lib., St. Louis
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A detailed and scholarly work, this title fills a gap in theater history....Recommended for large academic collections."--Library Journal

"King is a committed admirer of Walcott, and he has written a book that is simultaneously a history of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop and a celebration of the man who founded it."--Bostonian

"The book is obviously the work of a meticulous fan."--Theatre Scotland

"[A] pioneering book, which weaves theatre history and literary criticism together in a fresh and rewarding way."--Caribbean Beat

"The book is a mine of information."--Sunday Guardian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198184646
• ISBN-13: 978-0198184645
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,386,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)