This comprehensive history of puppetry covers areas such as: origins; antiquity; fairground theatres; shadow theatre; puppets and the Revolution - Poland, Russia; romantic aesthetics; the age of folk and popular theatre; and Italian specificity.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Origins. Part 2 Antiquity. Part 3 The Middle Ages. Part 4 Renaissance and the Baroque genres: commedia dell'arte; puppet opera; fairground theatre; the English comedians; Maquina real. Part 5 The Age of Enlightment: the English golden age; French Boulevard theatres; shadow theatre; puppets and The Revolution; parallel entertainments; chains of Baroque tradition; artistic initiatives; Poland - artists and radicals; Russia - visitors and serfs. Part 6 Romanticism and recognition: interest of German writers; German romantic aesthetics; the German model; melodrama; the nationalist cause;. Part 7 The age of folk and popular theatre: Nativity shows; commedia continuing; Guignol - a new face; permanent theatres; Italian specificity. Part 8 19th century - good business. Part 9 Attracting the artists.