The drama of yesterday & to-day (Volume I)

By Clement Scott

Book Overview

London gaslight, applause, and ink. Clement Scott writes where the curtain meets the column. Sharp, vivid, immediate, and alive. The Drama of Yesterday & To-day (Volume I) gathers Scott's theatre criticism essays and Victorian stage reviews from the heart of 19th century London, when the West End was inventing modern celebrity and theatrical taste. He balances wit with judgement, capturing the mood of opening nights and the afterlife of long runs with a reporter's speed and a critic's memory. These pages map the shifting line between art and amusement in Victorian England theatre, making classic stage criticism feel urgent. Part dramatic criticism collection, part literary journalism anthology, the pieces combine play production commentary with actors and actresses profiles, tracing how performances were built, received, and remembered. Scott is partisan but never bland: he notices staging, voices, audiences, and the social weather around a premiere, turning nightly notices into a readable record. For anyone curious about British theatre history, it works as both entertainment and theatre history reference; for drama students reading, it offers models of responsive, detailed criticism and a window onto the working habits of a vanished stage. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. Add it to a classics shelf, or dip in between plays: either way, it remains a distinctive companion to serious theatre lovers and collectors of Victorian writing.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9353709482
• ISBN13: 9789353709488
• Release Date: June 2019
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 670 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"