The Politics of the Pantomime Regional Identity in the Theatre 1860–1900

Dynamic and unique, this history examines pantomime productions in the English provincesparticularly Birmingham, Nottingham, and Manchesterfrom 1860 through 1900. Arguing that pantomimes were rooted in specific expressions of local identity, this volume explores censorship as well as the relationships between theaters, their managers, authors, and audiences. This valuable contribution to the study of Victorian popular culture also demonstrates how regional pantomime theater utilized political satire to its full advantage due to its geographical and creative distance from London.

Jill Sullivan recently completed postdoctoral research at the University of Exeter on the AHRC-funded project 'Moving and Projected-Image Entertainment in the South-West 1820-1914'. Her research interests lie in the field of nineteenth-century theatre and popular entertainments, with a particular interest in the development and expression of regional identity. She has also published essays in Victorian Pantomime: A Collection of Critical Essays (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010) and Making an Audience: Reading Textual Materiality (Pickering and Chatto, 2011). Dr Sullivan currently works as a freelance researcher.