Acting, direction, stagecraft, theatre architecture and design,the extraordinary evolution of dramatic literature-here is anall-embracing and richly illustrated history, worldwide in scopeand ranging from the ancient origins of the theatre in the choralhymns sung around the altar of Dionysus to the endless varietyof forms that theatre takes in our own day.For this fourth edition, Enoch Brater, Professor of Englishand Theatre at the University of Michigan, has contributed arevised and extended final chapter on contemporary theatreand updated factual information throughout the book.With its wealth of illustrations and up-to-date referencematerial, this is an indispensable book for all theatre-goers.