Great Shakespeareans offers a systematic account of those figures who have had the greatest influence on the interpretation, understanding and cultural reception of Shakespeare, both nationally and internationally.
In this volume, leading scholars assess the contribution of William Poel, H. Granville Barker, Tyrone Guthrie and Sam Wanamaker to the afterlife and reception of Shakespeare and his plays. Each substantial contribution assesses the double impact of Shakespeare on the figure covered and of the figure on the understanding, interpretation and appreciation of Shakespeare, provide a sketch of their subject's intellectual and professional biography and an account of the wider cultural context, including comparison with other figures or works within the same field.
'This makes for a strikingly coherent collection, in which fresh evaluations and effective research are brought to bear on familiar figures, seen in the context of the institutions they inhabited and sought to change.' Shakespeare Survey
'This addition to the Great Shakespeareans series provides an apt record of the achievements of four committed, influential individuals.' Around the Globe