Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1984 - 55

BOOK REVIEWS
continued from page 41 ...

literalUre dealing with that aspect; and' 'Bibliography," which lists books, graduate
theses, periodicals, collections, and organizations relevant to the chapter IOpic. The
bibliography is well-researched, and the discussion of available literalUre is a good indicalOr of the most useful sources for particular interests or research areas. The book
is most useful as a reference guide, although
the hislOrical overview does provide a good
brief introduction 10 the area of popular entertainment for readers new 10 the IOpic. 0
W. Joseph Stell
University of Georgia

Kabuki (The Grand Kabuki North
American Tour 1982 Souvenir Book)
edited by Karl B. Leabo and Atelier LeBas.
ew York: Metropolitan Opera Association, 1982. (distributed by Theatre ArtS
Books) 49 pp., ill., 55.00 paper.

Kabuki is the souvenir program prepared for the 1982 lOur of the Grand Kabuki
Theatre of Japan. As such it contains the
usual elements of such programs: personnel
listings and biographies, play introductions,
and related ariicles. Ii is of interest because
of the quality of the accompanying articles
which were prepared by scholars in the area
of Japanese theatre, and because of the numerous illustrations of both historical Kabuki theatre and of the plays presented on
the lOur. The articles were wrillen by Samuel L. Leiter, William P. Maim, James R.
Brandon, and Peter M. Grilli. Among the
IOpics covered are Kabuki Theatre in general, Kabuki music, and Kabuki acting, as
well as introductions 10 and synopses of the
plays in the repertoire. Although introduclOry in lOne, the essays are well-wrillen and
provide a good basis for understanding this
unique form of theatre. The pholOgraphs
of the plays in production are all in color
and of high quality. Because they focus primarily on the performers and show clearly
the elaborate and colorful cosiUmes, the
photos would be most useful 10 costumers.
Kabuki could be a handy introduction to the
IOpic for anyone who has no Olher sources
of information, but adds nothing except
some fine color pholOgraphs 10 the more
detailed st udies already available.
C
W. Joseph Stell
niversity of Georgia

Theatre Year 1981

by Donald Cooper.
ew York: Drama Book Publishers, 1982.
ISBN 0-950-7578-10,132 pp., illus., S15.95
paper.

After each London season, Donald
Cooper gathers some of his best production
pholOgraphs from the 300-odd plays that
open and close, into a portfolio that is both
informative and fruscrating. For the 198081 season Cooper offers glimpses of 112
productions, ranging from a simple portrait
of Quentin Crisp at the Mayfair, 10 eight
Amadeus shots at Her Majesty's. Cats and
Nicholas Nickleby are here, of course, but
so are Caritas (a marvelous phOIO of Palli
Love) at the COlllesloe, Room ( atasha
Morgan) at Theatre Upstairs, and two productions of Waitingfor Godol. Particularly
informative is Cooper's coverage of classics
and revivals, such as Eastward Ho! at the
Mermaid, Knight of the Burning Pestle at
the Aldwych, and Thomas Kilroy's rewrite
of The Sea Gull, that places the action on
the West Coast of Ireland, at the Royal
Court.
Cooper's book is frustrating at the same
time, because he makes no allempt 10 show
set or lighting. A COSiUmer can learn something here, but the designer is prelly much
left in the dark. Rather than a thorough record of the season, Cooper's book is a sampler, one of the most frustrating of all marketing devices. The reader (or rather, the
viewer, since the only texts are Michael
Coveney's nippant 3-page skimming of the
season, and two indexes) delights in what
is offered, but grimaces at what is missed.
Still, it captures the delight and variety of
a season that must, by definition, come and
go.
0
Thomas J. Taylor
University of Alabama

USITT ISpring 198.+/Theatre Design & Technology

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