Dekker and Heywood

Book excerpt: Each generation needs to be introduced to the culture of the past and to reinterpret it in its own ways. This series re-examines the important English dramatists of earlier centuries in the light of new information, new interests and new attitudes. The books are written for students, theatre-goers and general readers who want an up-to-date view of the plays and dramatists, with an emphasis on drama as theatre, in the context of their stage, social and political history. The emphasis is on plays in performance, with attention given to what is known about acting styles, changing interpretations, the stages and theatres of the time and theatre economics. The books will be relevant to all those studying literature, theatre and cultural history.