Books in the Biography and Autobiography series

The definitive life of arguably the greatest classical actor of the twentieth century, Croall's brilliantly written and exhaustively researched biography of Gielgud provides a captivating account of both his private and personal lives.

An autobiographical account by one of German theatre's great actors, describing his life in the theatre and his work with Brecht's Berliner Ensemble. It offers a lively and lucid account of working on Brecht's plays and provides concrete examples of how Brecht's theory translates to practice.

In The Shifting Point, his first book since The Empty Space, Brook assesses the lessons of his pioneering work from his brilliant debut at Stratford and the West End in the 1960s to the triumphant success of The Mahabharata.

The second part of the autobiography of one of the most astonishing characters in British theatrical history.

Why do Shakespeare's works continue to exert so strong an influence and have such lasting appeal? What do they have to offer modern readers and play-goers? The author seeks to answer these questions in this wide-ranging critical survey of Shakespeare's career as a poet and playwright.

A book on the cultural and revolutionary florescence of the American Theatre, circa 1963-1973

In this major study, Ira Nadel shows how Tom Stoppard's life imitates his art and vice versa. An authorised biography, it draws on inside sources including Stoppard's own notebooks and letters, some previously unpublished.

The autobiography of Braham Murray, founding director of the Royal Exchange Manchester who at twenty-two became the youngest artistic director in the country.

A guide to The Welfare State, a theatre group which uses the traditions of carnival, music hall and fairground to entertain audiences. Their work formed the centrepiece of Glasgow's 1990 City of Culture celebrations.

The first volume of Coward's autobiography. Displaying an early dedication to the theatre, it hints at the success that would come to Coward as actor, playwright, novelist and performer, and is punctuated with his trademark effervescent wit.

Anatoly Smelyansky has constructed a portrait of the writer Mikhail Bulgakov. Bulgakov is seen as a pariah of Soviet Russia, fighting for his work and his life in a society riven with fear of Stalin's tyranny.

An autobiography of Peter Brook charting his career of over fifty years in theatrical direction from major post-war productions, through a radicalisation of his approach in the 1960s and his exploration of the roots of non-Western theatre in the 70s and 80s, to Paris and his founding of the theatrical company where he still works today.

In this volume, distinguished director Peter Brook provides candid answers to questions on his work and philosophy. Topics covered range from his innovative, award-winning production of "Marat/Sade" to his film and stage version of "King Lear".

A biography of the Russian theatre director, Vsevolod Meyerhold. It recounts his extraordinary life of experiment and discovery, describing his rehearsal techniques and exercises, and provides as assessment of his continuing influence on contemporary theatre.

Following Arthur Miller's death in February 2005, newspapers were filled with tributes to the man regarded by many as the greatest playwright of the twentieth century. This book contains reflections on him from over seventy writers, actors, directors and friends, with 'Arthur Miller Remembers' - an interview with the writer, held in 1995.

A reissue in hardback of critic John Lahr's famous 1982 study of Noel Coward's plays

Peter Brook is the most consistently innovative director in Western theatre. In these three essays he returns to the concept of his first book The Empty Space and examines what that means for the life of a production.

Robert Wilson's theatre is the stuff of legend. He has taught theatre-goers to see the world with different eyes.

An account of Anthony Sher and Gregory Doran's experiences producing Titus Andronicus for Johannesburg's Market Thearte. It provides an insight into how a director and actor approach a classic play and a portrait of theatre in post-apartheid South Africa. Originally published in 1996.

Written by a former teacher and author of "Stanislavski: An Introduction", this biography has been revised and updated to include new material now becoming available from the Russian archives, including a letter from Stanislavski to Stalin.

A revised critical study covering the various phases of Dario Fo's theatrical career.