A wide-ranging guide to the world of theatre, this dictionary contains a blend of facts and anecdotes for those interested in the theatre and its history. Its coverage ranges from biographies of writers, performers and directors to plot summaries of major plays, and from definitions of theatre jargon to articles on the development of the theatre, from ancient times to the present. There are accounts of major plays, stories of historic, occasionally disastrous, first performances, and descriptions of famous theatre buildings, together with articles capturing the atmosphere of theatre life - superstitions, legends, folklore, and famous or notorious incidents. Attention is also focused on the many aspects of popular and folk drama, and to the different forms the theatre takes in different parts of the world. In addition, there is a glossary of technical and idiomatic terms and expressions.