Following World War II, there was little alternative theatre activity in England. Then, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, new low-budget theatres and touring companies began to appear in London. Soon, an English counterpart to New York City's Off-Off Broadway movement was established. Since that time, "fringe" theatres have played an important role in the British theatre. / One aspect of this fringe theatre development was the appearance of lunchtime theatres in London. They staged their performances on the aprons of conventional playhouses, in restaurants, jazz clubs, and pubs. The most successful producers even established their own miniature playhouses. Many found support from the theatrical profession and the Arts Council of Great Britain. In the mid-1970s, however, their importance was eclipsed by the proliferation of other kinds of fringe theatre in the city. Nevertheless, between 1966 and 1975, lunchtime producers made notable contributions to the development of alternative theatre in London. / Chapter One provides an overview of alternative theatre activity in the modern British theatre, and it documents the founding of London's first lunchtime theatres in 1966. / Chapter Two describes the impact on the British theatre made by Off-Off Broadway theatre companies and the Counter Culture, or Underground. It also documents the establishment of two of London's first fringe theatres, the Arts Laboratory and the Ambiance Lunch Hour Theatre Club. / Chapter Three describes the growth in lunchtime theatre activity that began in 1970-1971, and the role played by lunchtime producers in establishing London's first pub theatres. / Chapter Four documents the founding of the Almost Free and the Soho Poly theatres. It also examines the lunchtime theatre "boom" of 1972 and the decline of lunchtime theatre activity that occurred in 1973-1975. / Chapter Five examines the involvement of the Arts Council of Great Britain in the history of lunchtime theatre, and its effect on lunchtime theatre practice between 1966 and 1976. / Chapter Six reviews the contributions of London's lunchtime theatres, and it provides an overview of lunchtime theatre developments in recent years. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-04, Section: A, page: 0987. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75311 |
| Contributors | URQUHART, JOHN RICHARD., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 411 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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