Biographical Theatre: Re-Presenting Real People? [Hardcover]

Marilyn Monroe, Vincent van Gogh or the victims of rendition flights  the number and variety of historical and contemporary figures represented on British stages is amazing. This book develops a new theoretical framework for the representation of real life figures on stage and examines different ways in which they can be included in performances.List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction Re-Framing the Discussion of Biographical Theatre: A Functional Approach Re-Living the Past: Creating Authenticity on Stage Creating and Undermining Expectations: Forms versus Content Metabiography: Biographers on Stage and Non-Traditional Structures Studying Reception: Theoretical Framework and Methodology Audience Reactions to Biographical Performances Conclusion: Review of the Theoretical Framework Bibliography Appendix 1: Timeline Appendix 2: List of Participants in the Interview Study Appendix 3: Audience Questionnaire Index Index

'This book offers a fascinating complement to the raft of recent publications on documentary theatre and theatres of actuality. While biographical theatre has proved consistently attractive to playwrights and audiences, the genre has been relatively neglected in academic scholarship to date. Through her analysis of a variety of theatrical case studies, Ursula Canton builds a strong argument for the importance of drama based on real lives.'

- Dr Chris Megson, Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre, Royal Holloway University of London

URSULA CANTON completed a PhD in theatre studies at Sheffield University, UK. She has published articles in this area and taught theatre-related modules at various universities. In her second academic life she teaches and conducts research into academic learning and writing at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.