Why read Lord Strange's Men and Their Plays?

Book cover of Lord Strange's Men and Their Plays

Book description

For a brief period in the late Elizabethan Era an innovative company of players dominated the London stage. A fellowship of dedicated thespians, Lord Strange's Men established their reputation by concentrating on "modern matter" performed in a spectacular style, exploring new modes of impersonation, and deliberately courting controversy. Supported by…

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European history

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Why read it?

1 author picked Lord Strange's Men and Their Plays as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

David McInnis

Author

In the wake of Knutson’s work, a number of seminal studies of individual playing companies from Shakespeare’s London have appeared, but I particularly value Manley and MacLean’s for the prominence they give to the role of lost plays in the repertory of Lord Strange’s Men. This book normalised the understanding that if one is to study a company—its patron, its players, its performance venues (including touring), and its style—then one cannot do so without attending to the plays once performed by the company but which have since been lost.

From David's list on to understand the history of Shakespeare's theatre.