Kenneth Tynan: Theatre Writings - Hardcover

Tynan, Kenneth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1854590502 ISBN 13: 9781854590503

Publisher: Nick Hern Books, 2007

Synopsis

Following on from his "Diaries and Letters", comes this long awaited selection of the best of Tynan's theatre criticism. 'I doubt,' wrote Kenneth Tynan in his review of "Look Back in Anger", 'if I could love anyone who did not wish to see this play'. Famous above all for his championship of the Angry Young Men at the Royal Court and for heralding Brecht, Beckett and Pinter, Tynan was not only the 20th century's most influential theatre critic, but his writing was itself a 'high-definition performance' - one of the qualities he always sought in others. This volume, selected and edited by Tynan's biographer, Dominic Shellard, brings together the best of Tynan's theatre writing drawn from his twelve years as a theatre critic (1951-63). Included are ground-breaking reviews of plays by Arthur Miller, John Osborne, T.S.Eliot and Noel Coward, as well as articles on such topics as Broadway musicals, censorship, Brecht in Berlin and the National Theatre, where he was to be Olivier's right-hand man - thus ending his career as a critic. All of Tynan's theatre criticism has been out of print for many years - a fact regularly lamented by reviewers. This new, comprehensive selection will be the standard reference point for Tynan's work for years to come, as well as providing useful contexts for each review.

About this title

About the Author

Kenneth Tynan (1927-1980) left Oxford to become drama critic of the Evening Standard. After an influential spell on the Observer he joined Laurence Olivier's new National Theatre as its Literary Manager. He also devised and produced the notorious revue, Oh! Calcutta. Dominic Shellard is Head of the English Department at Sheffield University. He has published seven books on British theatre, notably Kenneth Tynan: A Life (Yale University Press, 2003).

Edition details

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1854590502
• ISBN 13: 9781854590503
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320
• Editor: Shellard Dominic