The American playwright and manager-director Augustin Daly dominated the theatrical scene in the United States during the last half of the nineteenth century. His plays and productions set a new standard for American theatre and exerted a strong influence in England, beginning with a first European tour in 1884 and culminating in the opening of Daly's own theatre in London in 1893. Daly, with the assistance of his brother Joseph, had over ninety of his plays or adaptations performed. This unique collection brings together three disparate examples from his prolific output: A Flash of Lightning (1868), Horizon (1871) and Love on Crutches (1884). Daly, an exceptional contriver of theatrical effects, offered the theatre of the 1870s and 1880s melodramas and comedies greatly superior to those of his competitors. These three plays represent the range and energy of his talent.

The American playwright and actor William Gillette is best remembered today for the role of Sherlock Holmes that he first created for the stage in 1899 and played for more than thirty years. Gillette also adapted foreign plays for the American stage and wrote strong melodramas and spy stories in which he frequently appeared himself. This volume includes All the Comforts of Home (1890), Secret Service (1895) and Sherlock Holmes (1899). Gillette's sure grasp of the keys to theatrical success, together with his technical innovations, makes him an interesting and important theatre figure. In his time, as playwright and player, he achieved a new combination of melodramatic suspense with a cool, understated acting style. These three plays represent the range of his dramatic talent.