J. B. Priestley

The first book to provide a detailed and up to date analysis of Priestley's enormous contribution to twentieth century British theatre. This study unpicks the contradictions of a playwright and theatre theorist popular with audiences but too often dismissed by critics.

Part 1: Life, Politics and Theory 1. Life, Politics and Career 2. The Function and Practice of Theatre: visions, theories and critical response Part 2: Key Plays 3. Key Plays I: The Time Plays 4. Key Plays II: Utopian visions/Imaginary Worlds 5. Key Plays III: Gender, the Family and Sexual Relations 6. Key Plays IV: Professional Plays: the interface of work and individual choice Part 3: Key Productions 7. Key Productions I: An Inspector Calls from production to film and back 8. Key Plays/Productions II: The Good Companions from Novel to Stage to Film and Musical 9. Key Plays/Productioms III: Johnson over Jordan - Experiments in form Bibliography