In this book Anthony Jenkins examines seven Victorian playwrights who, despite their own ideals and prejudices and the theatre’s conservatism, tried to come to terms with such momentous subjects as womanliness, honour and money. The opening chapter sets the frame of reference that briefly describes the social transformation of theatre during the century and the increasing respectability of actors and playhouses. Subsequent chapters deal with the drama of Edward Bulwer, Tom Robertson, W. S. Gilbert, H. A. Jones, Arthur Pinero, Oscar Wilde, and Bernard Shaw. Each of these dramatists sought to create a theatre of ideas according to his own vision of art and society. Their work confronts and interprets the limitations of an idealized theatre, the portrayal of character, the sanctity of marriage, and the charade of social hypocrisy. The plays are examined within the social and political context of the Reform Bill, the Revolution of 1848, the Great Exhibition, royal patronage, censorship and copyright, and, above all, the ‘Woman Question’. Jenkins combines politics and theatrical history with literary criticism to shed provocative light on the struggle to relate the London theatre to the realities of Victorian England. The book contains illustrations from the period and will be of interest to students and scholars of theatre history, English literature and social history, and women’s studies.

In this book Anthony Jenkins examines seven Victorian playwrights who, despite their own ideals and prejudices and the theatre's conservatism, tried to come to terms with such momentous subjects as womanliness, honour and money. The opening chapter briefly describes the social transformation of theatre during the century and the increasing respectability of actors and playhouses. Subsequent chapters deal with the drama of Edward Bulwer, Tom Robertson, W. S. Gilbert, H. A. Jones, Arthur Pinero, Oscar Wilde and Bernard Shaw. Each of these dramatists sought to create a theatre of ideas according to his own vision of art and society. The plays are examined within the social and political context of the Reform Bill, the Revolution of 1848, the Great Exhibition, royal patronage, censorship and copyright, and, above all, the 'Woman Question'. Jenkins combines politics and theatrical history with literary criticism to shed provocative light on the struggle to relate the London theatre to the realities of Victorian England.

Despite their box-office success, Tom Stoppard's plays have sometimes aroused academic hostility, his critics accusing Stoppard of cold intellectualism or frivolous showmanship. The purpose of this study is to examine the special problem of Stoppard's use of humor and games in conveying serious ideas. As an actor and director, Anthony Jenkins is concerned not just with the literary merit of Stoppard's plays, but also with the way they are written and shaped by the formal conventions particular to the media of stage, radio, and television. This book studies the stage space of each play as well as the actor's pauses and inner emotions. As a lecturer on drama, Jenkins follows Stoppard's career chronologically so that the radio and television plays are woven in with, and support various claims concerning, the major stage works. Unlike similar critical analyses of Stoppard's theater, this volume discusses all the latest plays, including The Real Thing, The Dog It Was That Died, and Squaring the Circle.

A scientist reviews his work, petroleum exploration and reserves, climate science and nonsense, 'green' energy, nuclear energy and bombs and some particularly grotesque aspects of history, religions and politics. The explanations are clear, funny and so irreverent that the author had to use a nom de plume to deflect the rage of his targets. Although the work is labelled fiction the reader will soon believe that very little, in fact, is. This writing will please those who understand the scientific discourse, detest war and propaganda, respect whistleblowers and are thankful for the wonderful work of Swift, Voltaire and Twain. All earth scientists and those who wonder where the stuff they pour in the tank of their car comes from as they stand at the pump will want to own this a page-turner.