How does theatre history change when viewed through the life of Ira Aldridge, the first Black star of the British stage? Collating an anthology of plays in which Aldridge frequently performed, this volume proposes Aldridge's career intervened in British and US debates about slavery and racial equality while reshaping the conventions of British theatre. Aldridge's repertoire offers readers a way to engage with a long history of racial representation; the anthology ranges from 1721 to 1846 and includes a variety of genres, namely a tragedy, a proto-minstrel burletta, melodramas, and a minstrel play.
As Aldridge was limited to a narrow range of roles, his career is uniquely accessible for study. At the same time, the introduction stresses how Aldridge pushed against the boundaries a white culture industry imposed, even as he drastically re-envisioned longstanding portions of the repertoire.
| ISBN: | 9781399556927 |
| Publication date: | 31st January 2027 |
| Author: | |
| Publisher: | Edinburgh University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 320 pages |
| Series: | Edinburgh Critical Editions of Nineteenth-Century Texts |
| Genres: |
Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 Literary studies: plays and playwrights |
How does theatre history change when viewed through the life of Ira Aldridge, the first Black star of the British stage? Collating an anthology of plays in which Aldridge frequently performed, this volume proposes Aldridge's career intervened in British and US debates about slavery and racial equality while reshaping the conventions of British theatre.
features in the following genres: Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900, Literary studies: plays and playwrights
Paperback, Book, Hardback, Board book, Ebook, . £22.49, down from the £24.99 cover price. Not Available.
was written by and published by Edinburgh University Press
has 320 pages
Yes it is part of Edinburgh Critical Editions of Nineteenth-Century Texts series
£22.49, reduced from £24.99. Not Available.