Elizabeth Schafer Libri

A groundbreaking study of successful women theatre directors.

Lilian Baylis, a pivotal figure in British theatre, is explored through new research that reveals her dual role as a producer and manager of multiple prestigious companies. The biography delves into her efforts to make high culture accessible to working-class audiences while maintaining profitability. It uncovers the complexities of her personal life, beyond the well-known anecdotes, highlighting her early career and significant contributions to actors like Alec Guinness and Laurence Olivier. The narrative examines the sacrifices she made for her remarkable achievements.

This critical new title in the Theatre & series explores the fluctuating relationship between theatre and Christianity by focusing on key points of intersection - the challenge of realism and the real, the treatment of women and the role of amateur performance.