Books by Allardyce Nicoll

The commedia dell'arte was an improvised drama performed by masked players. In this book, originally published in 1987, Professor Nicoll critically explores answers to various questions on the subject, basing his arguments on contemporary documents as far as possible and illuminating them with many little-known illustrations.

This selection of articles, with Shakespeare's genius as the hub, treats aspects of Elizabethan life and thought which have either received little attention or which seem to demand reappraisal.

An invaluable introduction to Shakespeare, this book places Shakespeare's work and criticism against the background of Elizabethan life in its historical, social, political, religious, linguistic and literary aspects.

Nicoll's History, which tells the story of English drama from the reopening of the theatres at the time of the Restoration right through to the end of the Victorian period, was viewed by Notes and Queries (1952) as 'a great work of exploration, a detailed guide to the untrodden acres of our dramatic history, hitherto largely ignored as barren and devoid of interest'.