The History of the English Puppet Theatre, Second Edition

By George Speaight

A welcome reissue, revised and updated, of the classic work on the English puppet theatre, this detailed and lavishly illustrated book, first published in 1955, shows why puppet theatre in England developed along different lines from that on the Continent, and brings the story up to the television age.

In 1938, at the age of 24, George Speaight left his job as a bookseller and went to work as a farmhand at Pigotts, the family settlement of Eric Gill and his group of artist-craftsworkers in Buckinghamshire. While there, Speaight decided to write a history of Punch and Judy. The project grew, and during the Second World War he spent his nights working in the Auxiliary Fire Service and his days at the British Museum Reading Room researching Punch and puppets. This book is the result of all his research.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809316064
• ISBN13: 9780809316069
• Release Date: February 1990
• Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.9" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

The title of the book quoted by Booknews Inc. is wrong.

George Speaight wrote several books. Among them were:THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH PUPPET THEATER. Another one: THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TOY THEATER. Somehow, the reviewer mixed the wrong title with the wrong book. However, both books are excellent resources for their subject matter, interesting and highly informative.Anyone wanting to research either of these subjects areas should read them.They are the bibles in their field. Highly indexed- with extensive bibliographies and fine historical illustrations and photographs they are first rate books.