Playing Indoors: Staging Early Modern drama in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by Will Tosh

The candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse opened its doors in 2014 with Dominic Dromgoole's brooding production of The Duchess of Malfi, the culmination of years of planning and fundraising to create an indoor companion space to Shakespeare's Globe. Since then it has become firmly established as a place to see something new while also seeing something ‘old’ (or ‘authentic').

Will Tosh has been involved with the space since the beginning, co-ordinating a series of ‘Research in Action’ workshops to investigate the use of the space and interviewing actors, creatives and audiences. These have generated a huge amount of information and analysis, brought together in this book which provides a concise overview of the history, theory and practice of the Playhouse. Although thoroughly academic it is not at all dry and is a fascinating and entertaining read, discussing in detail the concepts behind the creation of the space, the ongoing tensions between theory and practice and the unexpected discoveries of creating work. My only criticism is that no stage management or technicians appear to have been interviewed. These would give an even richer set of information about the space; their exclusion suggests that they are not contributing creatively to the work.

Overall an absorbing read which would provide a great framework to anyone studying or interested in the indoor staging of early modern drama.