Irish Playwrights, 1880-1995: A Research and Production Sourcebook

(Hardback)

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Irish playwrights such as Sean O'Casey, George Bernard Shaw, and John Millington Synge have made enormous contributions to world drama. This reference provides detailed entries for 32 Irish playwrights active from 1880 to 1995. Each entry includes a biographical sketch, a summary of productions, a critical assessment of the dramatist's work, and extensive bibliographical information. The volume concludes with a selected, general bibliography. Though Irish dramatists have been writing plays for centuries, Irish drama is largely a product of the last hundred years and is deeply rooted in the political and social ferment out of which Ireland emerged as an independent nation. The creation of Irish drama is primarily the story of the Abbey Theatre, founded in 1897 as the Irish Literary Theatre by Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn, and William Butler Yeats. Though the Abbey remains Ireland's national theatre, its existence and role have been challenged and critiqued by individuals who rejected its Irishness and who sought to introduce Irish audiences to the drama of continental Europe. Through its extended entries for 32 playwrights, this reference charts the history of Irish drama from the late 19th century to 1995. Included are profiles of some of the most important names in literature, such as George Bernard Shaw, John Millington Synge, Oscar Wilde, Sean O'Casey, and Samuel Beckett; along with more recent and less canonical authors whose works are nonetheless distinguished. Entries are written by expert contributors and are arranged alphabetically. Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch, production histories for major works, a critical assessment of the playwright's career, and extensive archival and bibliographical information. As an aid to locating general works on Irish drama, the volume concludes with a selected, general bibliography.

Reviews

Taken as a set, [British Playwrights, 1880-1956 and Irish Playwrights, 1880-1995] supplement British Playwrights, 1956-1995 to form an excellent critical overview of regional drama in this century. The uniformly well-written essays each include biographical data, summaries of the critical reception of all works, assessments of the playwrights' careers, primary and secondary bibliographies, and the housings of unpublished archival material....[T]his is a welcome addition to literature and theatrical collections...As there is no comparable current volume in print specifically on Irish playwrights, [this] would make a first-rate addition for all collections.... highly recommended.-Library Journal
"Taken as a set, British Playwrights, 1880-1956 and Irish Playwrights, 1880-1995 supplement British Playwrights, 1956-1995 to form an excellent critical overview of regional drama in this century. The uniformly well-written essays each include biographical data, summaries of the critical reception of all works, assessments of the playwrights' careers, primary and secondary bibliographies, and the housings of unpublished archival material....This is a welcome addition to literature and theatrical collections...As there is no comparable current volume in print specifically on Irish playwrights, this would make a first-rate addition for all collections.... highly recommended."-Library Journal
"Taken as a set, [British Playwrights, 1880-1956 and Irish Playwrights, 1880-1995] supplement British Playwrights, 1956-1995 to form an excellent critical overview of regional drama in this century. The uniformly well-written essays each include biographical data, summaries of the critical reception of all works, assessments of the playwrights' careers, primary and secondary bibliographies, and the housings of unpublished archival material....[T]his is a welcome addition to literature and theatrical collections...As there is no comparable current volume in print specifically on Irish playwrights, [this] would make a first-rate addition for all collections.... highly recommended."-Library Journal

Author Bio

BERNICE SCHRANK is Professor of English at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She is the author of numerous articles on Sean O'Casey and is the editor of the Canadian Journal of Irish Studies. WILLIAM W. DEMASTES is Professor of English at Louisiana State University. His publications include Beyond Naturalism: A New Realism in American Theater (1988), Clifford Odets: A Research and Production Sourcebook (1991), American Playwrights, 1880-1945: A Research and Production Sourcebook (1995), and British Playwrights, 1956-1995: A Research and Production Sourcebook (1996), all published by Greenwood Press.