Courtroom Dramas on the Stage

The inherent drama of a trial has fascinated audiences for centuries. In this strong, well-written theatre history, Amnon Kabatchnik offers background and information on COURTROOM DRAMAS ON THE STAGE: VOLUME 1. Starting with dramas presumed written around 480 B.C. and reaching into the early 20th century, this volume offers layered information on these dramas. There’s a synopsis, sometimes a snippet from the play itself to emphasize a point, notable productions, the play’s importance in its time, and in the larger theatrical canon as a whole. The prejudices, bigotry, racism, and misogyny of the plays are not softened for modern sensibilities, to show the social mores of the time, and how art and theatre either leaned into them or attempted to expose them. The writing is strong, the research detailed without being overbearing, and the amount of information impressive. Whether it’s Aeschylus’s ORESTIA or Ben Jonson’s VOLPONE, there is something new to learn about each of the plays. COURTROOM DRAMAS ON THE STAGE: VOLUME 1 is a terrific resource to find new-to-the-reader dramas or to use as dramaturgy when working on one of the dramas mentioned in the book.