Staging Detection: From Hawkshaw to Holmes

Staging Detection explores the emergence of the stage detective in nineteenth-century Britain, highlighting their role in shaping theatrical modes from melodrama to society comedy. It follows the earliest performances of stage detectives through the works of playwrights, novelists, critics, and actors, shedding light on Victorian acting styles, melodrama, and the Wildean dandy. It also examines how these portrayals shaped broader Victorian debates on fraud, omniscience, and earned authority.

Format: Hardback
Length: 162 pages
Publication date: 30 July 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Staging Detection delves into the fascinating evolution of the stage detective in nineteenth-century Britain, shedding light on the intersections between detection and performance in various Victorian plays. This groundbreaking work is the first to explore the productive connections between these two theatrical modes, highlighting the significant role of the stage detective in shaping important theatrical styles of the period.

The journey begins in 1863 with Tom Taylor's iconic play, The Ticket-of-Leave Man, which sets the stage for the exploration of the stage detective's evolution. The book follows the earliest performances of these detectives across London, centering the work of playwrights, novelists, critics, and actors, including renowned figures such as Sarah Lane, Horace Wigan, Wilkie Collins, and Oscar Wilde. Through meticulous research and analysis, Staging Detection sheds new light on Victorian acting styles, expands our understanding of melodrama, and reimagines the famous Wildean dandy as a successor to the stage detective.

Drawing on a wealth of historical sources, including histories of masculinity and gender performance, scientific theory, and nineteenth-century visual culture, Staging Detection offers a comprehensive examination of the early stage portrayals of the detective. It demonstrates how these portrayals shaped broader Victorian debates concerning fraud, omniscience, and earned authority. This book appeals to students and scholars of theatre history, Victorian literature, and popular culture, as well as anyone with an interest in the enigmatic figure of the detective.

Weight: 404g
Dimension: 160 x 242 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367632649