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  • Brief Notices
Mark Ringer. Eurpides and the Boundaries of the Human. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2016. Pp. xiii + 377. $110.00.

This volume begins with a preface (ix–xiii) and an introduction (1–16). The primary text includes the author's discussion of each of Eurpides's surviving plays, including: Rhesus (date unknown, 454–440 BC?) (17–34); Alcestis (438 BC) (35–50); Medea (431 BC) (51–70); The Children of Heracles (Heraclidae, ca. 430 BC) (71–82); Hippolytus (428 BC) (83–102); Andromache (ca. 425 BC) (103–14); Hecuba (ca. 424 BC) (115–30); The Supplient Women (ca. 423 BC) (131–46); Electra (ca. 420 BC) (147–62); Trojan Women, Part of The "Trojan" Tetralogy (415 BC) (163–78); Heracles (ca. 415 BC) (179–98); Iphigenia among the Taurians (ca. 414 BC) (199–214); Ion (ca. 414 BC) (215–34); Helen (412 BC) (235–54); The Phoenician Women (ca. 410 BC) (255–70); Orestes (408 BC) (271–90); The Cyclops (date unknown: 408 BC?) (291–300); Iphigenia in Aulis (presented posthumously in 405 BC) (301–12); The Bacchae (presented posthumously in 405 BC) (313–44). The text concludes with an afterword (345–48), bibliography (349–66), and an index (367–77).
John Bull. British Theatre Companies 1965–1979. London: Bloomsbury, 2017. Pp. xiii + 320. $114.00 cloth, $29.95 paper.

This volume begins with acknowledgments (vii), a series editor's preface (viii–xi), and preface to the volume (xii–xiii). The primary text includes the following chapters: John Bull, "Historical, Political and Cultural Context" (1–48); John Bull, "Fringe and Alternative Theatre Companies, 1965–79" (49–120); Bill McDonnell, "Cast" (121–46); Chris Megson, "Portable Theatre" (147–70); Kate Dorney, "Pip Simmons Theatre Group" (195–222); Gillian Whiteley, "Welfare State International" (223–50); David Pattie, "7:84 Theatre Companies" (251–74). The text concludes with a bibliography (275–304), notes on contributors (305–06), and an index (307–20). [End Page 127]
Robert Gordon, Olaf Jubin, and Millie Taylor. British Musical Theatre Since 1950. London: Bloomsbury, 2016. Pp. x + 274. $29.95.

This volume begins with a list of illustrations (ix–x) and an introduction (1–6). The primary text includes essays and case studies in three parts. Part 1, "Musicals and Social Change," by Robert Gordon, includes: "British Theatre and Society and the Second World War" (7–10); "Innovation and Nostalgia: Camp in the Post-War British Musical" (11–15); "Case Study 1: Salad Days" (16–27); "Rock and Roll and the Theatre Revolution" (28–30); "The Play with Music: Political Theatre and Working-Class Culture" (31–32); "Case Study 2: Blood Brothers" (33–43); "The Impact of Oliver!" (44–47); "After Jesus Christ Superstar: Globalization and Cultural Specificity" (48–49); "Case Study 3: Billy Elliot" (50–67); "Global and Local: The Family Musical" (68); "Case Study 4: Matilda – The Musical" (69–82). Part 2, "British Popular Culture and Musical Theatre," by Millie Taylor, includes: "Nostalgia in Dramatic Form" (84–90); "Case Study 5: Oh What a Lovely War!" (91–97); "Reflecting Multiculturalism" (98–108); "Case Study 6: Bombay Dreams" (109–14); "Changing Signification in Popular Music" (115–24); Case Study 7: Oliver! (125–30); "Case Study 8: The Rocky Horror Show" (131–39); "Conclusion to Part Two" (140). Part 3, "Narrative and Story-Telling in the British Musical," by Olaf Jubin, includes: "Preamble" (141); "Introduction" (142); "Concept Recordings: When What You See is What You Have Heard" (143–45); "Case Study 9: Jesus Christ Superstar" (146–56); "Sung-Through Shows: When the Spoken Word is Shunned" (157–59); "Stage Adaptations of Novels: When the Written Word Becomes Theatrical Action" (160–66); "Case Study 10: Les Misérables" (167–77); "Case Study 11: The Phantom of the Opera" (178–88); "Original Stories: When the Content is Unknown" (189–94); "Jukebox Musicals: When You Know All the Songs" (195–96); "Case Study 12: Mamma Mia!" (197–207); "Stage Adaptations of Films: When the Cinematic Becomes the Theatrical" (208–12). The text concludes with a conclusion (213–14), timeline (215–20), notes (221–50), selective bibliography (251–54), discography (255–58), filmography (259–60), and an index (261–74).
Jeffrey Sweet. What Playwrights Talk About When They Talk About Writing. New...

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