The thesis is concerned with the large spectacle plays produced by Imre Kiralfy between 1887 and 1903, and the international exhibitions which he created and staged between 1895 and 1914. The purpose of the study is four-fold; to show the origins of mire Kiralfy's development of the spectacle theatre form to describe the, spectacle plays which he produced in the United States and in England; to examine the combined spectacle plays and exhibitions which he Staged at Olympia and Earl's .Court in London; and finally to characterize the way in which Kiralfy subsumed spectacle theatre into the large International exhibitions which he staged at the White City in London. In the Introduction I set out the structure of the thesis, and make some observations on the problem of genre in the study of nineteenth century spectacle plays and exhibitions, Chapter 1 serves as a background to the later chapters, and outlines Kiralfy's early life as a Variety dancer and then as a theatre manager in New York. Chapter 2 is concerned with the pageant plays produced in Cincinnatti in r the 1880s, and the ways in which they were appropriated by Kiralfy and subsequently staged by him at St. George, Staten Island in 1887 and 1888. Chapter 3 deals with the spectacle plays presented by Kiralfy at Olympia in London between 1889 and 1893. Chapter 4 describes the two spectacle plays produced by Kiralfy in the United States in association with the Columbus Celebrations of 1892-3. Chapter 5 details the nine exhibitions and their accompanying spectacle entertainments which Kitalfy staged at Earl's Court between 1895 and 1903. Chapter 46 describes the political financial and 'architectural background to the construction of the White City exhibition grounds, the international exhibitions presented there between 1908 and 1914, and the staging of the Olympic Games in 1908.