The Culture of Playgoing in Shakespeare's England

Anthony B. Dawson is Professor of English at the University of British Columbia. Paul Yachnin is Professor of English at the University of British Columbia.

• Acknowledgments; Introduction Paul Yachnin and Anthony B. Dawson; Part I. Participation vs Populuxe: Two Theories of Early Modern Theatre: 1. Performance and participation Anthony B. Dawson; 2. The Populuxe theatre Paul Yachnin; Part II. Theatrical Pleasure and the Contest of Vision: 3. Eye to eye opposed Paul Yachnin; 4. The distracted Globe Anthony B. Dawson; Part III. Objects of Wonder and Desire: 5. Magical properties Paul Yachnin; 6. Props, pleasure and idolatry Anthony B. Dawson; Part IV. National Pastimes: 7. The arithmetic of memory Anthony B. Dawson; 8. The house of fame Paul Yachnin; Afterword Paul Yachnin and Anthony Dawson; Index.

'This study of theatre and drama in relation to the culture of Shakespeare's time is intellectually sophisticated, historically informed and engagingly written. Thoroughly up to date in its scholarship and original in its critical approach, it has much to say to students of the period. Its interest lies both in the dialectic of the discrete theoretical approaches of the two authors, and in its practical criticism, sometimes from differing perspectives, of specific plays by both Shakespeare and contemporary dramatists. The most unusual feature of the book … is the division of authorship from chapter to chapter. This frequently leads to stimulating debate, and especially to a valuable emphasis on the relativity of critical truth, the fact that history looks different when viewed from one perspective rather than another.' Stanley Wells