Global Theatre Anthologies: Ancient, Indigenous and Modern Plays from Africa and the Diaspora

Regular price
£33.99
Sale price
£33.99
Regular price
£33.99
Sold out
Unit price
per 

Details

Author: H.W. Fairman (Author), Duro Ladipo (Author), Tekle Hawariat (Author), Elvania Namukwaya Zirimu (Author), Wole Soyinka (Author), Ama Ata Aidoo (Author), Athol Fugard (Author), Derek Walcott (Author), Michael Gilkes (Author), Simon Gikandi (Editor), R. N. Sandberg (Editor, Series Editor)

Format: Paperback / softback

Pages: 424

Publication date:

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

General Product Safety Information

For books the EU representative is usually the publisher or authorised agent. Contact details for EU representatives are provided within the book or its packaging. For most titles, this information is provided on the imprint page of the book.

If you have any questions regarding product safety or you need assistance in contacting the authorised EU representative for a book or play you have purchased, please contact us.

9781350360686

Details

by H.W. Fairman (Author), Duro Ladipo (Author), Tekle Hawariat (Author), Elvania Namukwaya Zirimu (Author), Wole Soyinka (Author), Ama Ata Aidoo (Author), Athol Fugard (Author), Derek Walcott (Author), Michael Gilkes (Author), Simon Gikandi (Editor), R. N. Sandberg (Editor, Series Editor)

The power of theatrical performance is universal, but the style and concerns of theatre are specific to individual cultures. This volume in the Global Theatre Perspectives series presents a reconstructed ancient performance text, four one-act indigenous African plays and five modern dramas from various regions of Africa and the Caribbean Diaspora.

Because these plays span centuries and are the work of artists from diverse cultures, readers can see elements that occur across time and space. Physicalized ritual, direct interaction with spectators, improvisation, music, drumming, and metaphorical animal characters help create the theatrical forms in multiple plays. Recurring themes include the establishment or challenging of political authority, the oppression or corruption of government, societal expectations based on gender, the complex and transformational nature of identity, and the power of dreams.

Though each play is its own unique entity, reading them together allows readers to explore what theatrical elements and cultural concerns are perhaps essentially African. The Caribbean plays add further perspective to the questions of what values, theatrical and societal, are part of African drama, how these have influenced the Caribbean aesthetic, and what the relationships are between the old and new world.

Among the creators of the pieces are two Nobel Laureates, those who have been exiled or jailed for the political nature of their work, and the author of his country's first constitution. The volume can serve as the primary text for an intensive semester-long investigation of African drama and culture. But it is also possible to use this volume along with others in the series as texts for a single course on drama from around the world. The global perspectives approach, letting works from ancient, indigenous, and modern times resonate with each other, encourages thinking across boundaries and connective human understanding.

Frequently asked questions

What shipping options are available?

For products shipped from our shop, we have a few of delivery options available:

  • Royal Mail Tracked 48
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery
  • Royal Mail Tracked International/Europe

The delivery cost varies depending on the order amount and service chosen.

Please see our delivery page for information on delivery costs and times.

How long will my order take to arrive?

We aim to ship your item within two working days. You will receive email confirmation once your order has shipped.   

Our standard delivery times vary slightly according to the delivery destination. For items which we have in stock at the shop, we aim to deliver within:  

UK: 2–5 working days  

Europe: 5–7 working days  

Rest of the world: 10–14 working days  

Please note, if your order contains print-on-demand prints or titles, certain clothing items or specialist books, these will be dispatched separately to the rest of your order. This means that you will receive your order in multiple deliveries and not all items at once. Where this is the case, our team will be in touch with you to update on shipping dates.

If in doubt, please contact us to check the status of your order. 

Can I collect my order?

Yes! We are pleased to offer you the option of collecting your order in person at our bookshop for free! To pick up in-store, simply select this option on our checkout page.

Please come to the Bookshop to collect your order between 10.00 am - 10.00 pm, Monday-Saturday.

The address is: National Theatre Bookshop, National Theatre, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX   

When will my order be ready to collect?

We aim to process our click and collect orders in two-four working days

You will receive an email from us when your order is ready to be collected. Please save this email to show to our team when collecting your order.  

We encourage you to look out for this email before arriving to collect your order, to avoid any disappointment.  

How long do I have to collect my order?

Once your order is ready to collect, we will send you an email notification. From this email, you have two weeks to collect your order from the Bookshop.

After two weeks have passed, we will contact you via email to coordinate the next steps regarding your order.

If you are planning a trip to the National Theatre which falls beyond the two week deadline, please let us know. We can hold onto your order until your visit.

Can I return my order?

You can return your order to us within 28 days of purchase with a valid receipt.

This can be done in person at the National Theatre bookshop or via posting the item(s) back to us.

Our returns page explains in detail how the process works.

Please contact us if you need additional guidance on returning your order.

Will delivery costs be refunded when returning my order?

Once we have received the item(s) with the necessary paperwork we will proceed with issuing a refund or replacement. If you are eligible for a refund, we will process a full refund for your order. This includes the cost of delivering the item to you.

Please note, we do not refund the cost of return postage, unless your order was damaged or incorrect on arrival. If this is the case, please contact the team to coordinate the return.   

Are any items unavailable for refund?

Unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund on any earrings unless they are faulty.

We also do not offer refunds on print-on-demand products, made-to-order customisable items or food products.

I have seen a product I would like to purchase but it is out of stock. Will it be restocked?

We are sorry that the product you would like to purchase is out of stock.

If you let us know what the item is, we will get in touch with an update on if it will be restocked.

I'm looking for a particular title, can you order this for me?

Whilst we endeavour to have all our books and plays on the online shop, there may be times when this is not the case.

Please let us know if you are searching for a certain title, and we can advise on whether it is available to purchase or not.

My order is a gift. Can I send this directly to the recipient?

Yes, of course. At checkout, please use your address for billing and the recipient's for shipping. This will ensure the parcel is sent to the correct address.

You can also leave us an order note at checkout with any additional information.