Playbooks and their Readers in Early Modern England

This book explores the popularity of pre-Restoration printed dramas, known as single-play quarto playbooks, in early modern England. It examines the form and content of these playbooks to understand their earliest readers, motivations for reading, and responses to the printed versions of plays. By analyzing material and paratextual evidence, the book provides more detailed and nuanced conclusions than previous studies, focusing on professional plays printed in quarto between 1584 and 1660.

Format: Hardback
Length: 270 pages
Publication date: 25 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking book is a comprehensive exploration of commercial drama as a reading genre in early modern England. It delves into the format of pre-Restoration printed dramas, specifically the single-play quarto playbook, as its primary focus. By examining the form and content of these playbooks, the book seeks to uncover insights into the earliest readers of contemporary commercial drama, their motivations for reading such plays, and their responses to the printed versions of plays that had initially been performed in the playhouses of early modern London.

The book specifically concentrates on professional plays printed in quarto between 1584 and 1660, providing a juxtaposition of material and paratextual evidence with an analysis of historical traces of playreading in extant playbooks and manuscript commonplace books. This approach allows for more detailed and nuanced conclusions than previous studies that have been limited to works by one author or a single type of evidence.

Through its comprehensive examination, the book sheds light on the social, cultural, and political contexts in which commercial drama emerged and flourished in early modern England. It explores the ways in which plays were marketed, distributed, and consumed by a wide audience, including both aristocratic and commoner patrons. The book also examines the themes and motifs that were prevalent in commercial drama, including love, power, politics, and religion, and how they reflected and influenced the broader cultural and societal norms of the time.

Moreover, the book offers valuable insights into the theatrical practices and performances of commercial drama. It explores the roles of actors, playwrights, and producers in the production and dissemination of plays, as well as the impact of print culture on the development of theatrical conventions and practices. The book also examines the ways in which playbooks were used by playgoers as tools for interpretation and engagement with the plays, including annotations, marginalia, and notes.

In conclusion, this book is a vital contribution to the study of early modern English literature and culture. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of commercial drama as a reading genre in early modern England, shedding light on the social, cultural, and political contexts in which it emerged and flourished. Through its detailed analysis of playbooks and other primary sources, the book offers valuable insights into the earliest readers, motivations, and responses to contemporary commercial drama, and its impact on theatrical practices and performances. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of early modern literature, culture, and theatre, as well as anyone with an interest in the history of reading and the development of theatrical genres.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032059013