Series Edited by Christopher Innes: Directors in Perspective

What characterizes modern theater above all is continual stylistic innovation, in which theory and presentation have combined to create a wealth of new forms-naturalism, expressionism, epic theater, and so forth-in a way that has made directors the leading figures rather than dramatists. To a greater extent than is perhaps generally realized, it has been directors who have provided dramatic models for playwrights. As the crucial figures in the development of one of the most important eras for the stage, they require particular study. The primary aim of this series is to provide both factual information and critical perspectives on major twentieth-century directors, both the leading figures in contemporary theatre and those earlier in the century who contributed to what is distinctively "modern" in today's drama. Where the directors concerned are still productive and capable of reversing their standpoints or developing new initiatives, the books must be seen as reports on work in progress, not definitive statements.

Each volume focuses on the theory of drama and the contribution made to it by a particular director, as well as considering the practical aspects of that director's work on the stage, the organization of his acting company and his relationship to the theatrical and political establishment. Detailed critical descriptions of key productions are at the centre of each volume, their major points illustrated by photographs, reconstructions and set designs. The emphasis throughout is on work rather than biography; where a theatre director is renowned for some other achievement -- for instance as a playwright, artist or film producer -- there is an assessment of the creative overlap.