lamdha books -
Catalogue of plays and books on the dramatic arts

Click on the small images at right to see a larger picture

95383 Albee, Edward A Delicate Balance Jonathan Cape, London, 1968. First edition. Hardcover, octavo; purple boards with silver gilt spine titling; 170pp. Owner's name. Minor wear; browning and spotting to text block edges and one or two random spots on endpapers. White dustwrapper faded along spine with chipping at spine panel extremities; very good with wrapper now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Click here to order $18

47968 Albee, Edward Tiny Alice Jonathan Cape, London, 1966. First edition. Hardcover, octavo; pale gray boards with gilt spine titling; 190pp., top edges dyed red. Moderate wear; a few scattered spots and marks on boards with very mild browning at edges; mild scattered spotting to endpapers; toning and spotting to text block edges. White card dustwrapper with browning and spotting along spine and edges; a few small scrapes and chipping at corners and spine panel extremities. One or two tiny tears. Good to very good with wrapper now protected in archival film and white paper backing. Click here to order $18

70537 [Arthur Rackham] Shakespeare, William & Graily Hewitt (Arthur Rackham, illus.) A Midsummer Night's Dream Abaris Books, New York NY, 1977. Quarto; hardcover, with upper board gilt decoration and gilt spine titling; unpaginated with colour and monochrome illustrations. Minor wear; foxing to endpapers and pastedowns; lightly toned and spotted text block edges. Dustwrapper with scraping to spine panel extremities, corners and along spine edge; mild rubbing and creasing to front inner flaps; now backed by archival-quality white paper and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good. Click here to order $65

66102 Beckett, Samuel All That Fall Faber and Faber, London, 1959. Second impression. Paperback, octavo, 36pp. Owner's name. Lightly toned text block edges; slight discolouration to rear panel edges; minor edgewear. Very good. Click here to order $25

44114 Beckett, Samuel Ends and Odds Plays and Sketches Faber and Faber Ltd., London, 1977. First edition: octavo; hardcover; 104pp. Mild wear; lightly spotted text block edges. Price clipped dustwrapper; now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good. Click here to order $35

94647 Benjamin, Walter (Introduction by Stanley Mitchell, ed.; Anna Bostock, trans.) Understanding Brecht NLB, London, 1973. First UK edition: octavo; hardcover, with upper board titles and decoration; 124pp. Moderate wear; boards lightly rubbed; spotting to the text block edges; previous owner's ink inscription and retailer's ink stamp to the flyleaf. Dustwrapper edges lightly worn; now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good to near fine. This volume contains Benjamin's introductions to Brecht's theory or epic theatre and close textual analyses of twelve poems by Brecht (printed in translation here) which exemplify Benjamin's insistence that literary form and content are indivisible. Elsewhere Benjamin discusses the plays The Mother, Terror and Misery of the Third Reich, and The Threepenny Opera, digressing for some general remarks on Marx and satire. Here we also find Benjamin's masterful essay "The Author as Producer" as well as an extract from his diaries that records the intense conversations held in the late 1930s in Denmark (Brecht's place of exile) between the two most important cultural theorists of this century. In these discussions, the two men talked of subjects as diverse as the work of Franz Kafka, the unfolding Soviet Trials, and the problems of literary work on the edge of international war. Click here to order $32

96736 Bucknell, Peter A. Entertainment and Ritual 600-1600 Stainer and Bell Ltd., London, 1979. Quarto; hardcover, with gilt spine titles and decorated endpapers; 223pp., with many monochrome illustrations. Minor wear. Dustwrapper. Fine. "The skill of the designer, the wide knowledge of the historian of drama and the practical experience of the director come together in this book, in which Peter Bucknell writes and draws the story of early dramatic presentation from the early Middle Ages to the Elizabethan theatre, tracing its origins in entertainment and ritual, sacred and secular. A book for all students of all ages... and anyone with a love of the theatre." Click here to order $20

99037 Camus, Albert (trans. Justin O'Brien) The Possessed: A Play in Three Parts Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Hamish Hamilton, London, 1960. First edition. Octavo hardcover; red boards with silver gilt spine titling; 159pp. Owner's name. Toned and spotted text block edges and very mild offsetting to endpapers; well rubbed dustwrapper with browned spine; small tears on spine panel extremities and wear and chipping to edges. Good to very good otherwise and wrapper now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film Click here to order $25

208359 Day, John (Introduction by A.H. Bullen, ed.; New Introduction by Robin Jeffs) The Works of John Day Reprinted from the Collected Edition by A.H. Bullen (1881) Holland Press, London, 1963. Octavo; hardcover, with gilt spine titles; 667pp. Minor wear; text block top edge dusted. Dustwrapper lightly sunned along the spine panel; now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good. The six dramas by Day which we possess show a delicate fancy and dainty inventiveness all his own. He preserved, in a great measure, the dramatic tradition of John Lyly, and affected a kind of subdued euphuism. The beauty and ingenuity of The Parliament of Bees, the work for which he is most remembered, were noted and warmly extolled by Charles Lamb. Click here to order $85

63980 Durrenmatt, Friedrich (Joel Agee, trans.; Kenneth J. Northcott, ed.) Selected Writings Volume 1 - Plays "The Visit"; "The Physicists"; "Romulus the Great"; "Hercules and the Augean Stables"; "The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi" University of Chicago Press, Chicago IL, 2006. Hardcover, octavo, 313pp. Lightly toned text block edges. Otherwise near fine in like dustwrapper and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Click here to order $25

200226 Genet, Jean (Bernard Frechtman, trans.) The Maids Faber and Faber Ltd., London, 1958. First edition: gatefold paperback; octavo; 42pp. Owner's name. Browned and spotted upper text block edge and one or two spots on early pages; cover slightly worn along edges and corners. Very good. Click here to order $30

63584 Grass, Gunter (Martin Esslin, intro.) Four Plays Flood; Onkel Onkel; Only Ten Minutes to Buffalo; The Wicked Cooks Secker & Warburg, London, 1968. First UK edition. Hardcover, octavo, 289pp. Lightly foxed endpapers and text block edges toned and spotted. Minor edgewear to olive dustwrapper with slightly rubbed rear panel. Very good to near fine and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Click here to order $18

66124 Grass, Gunter (Ralph Manheim, trans.) The Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising A German Tragedy Secker & Warburg, London, 1966. First UK edition. Hardcover, octavo, 122pp. Owner's name. Light foxing to endpapers and text block edges spotted; white card dustwrapper with excoriations along front spine edge; wear and chipping to edges and a few indentations and perforations on rear panel. Otherwise very good and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive archival film and white paper backing. Click here to order $18

73318 Jeffers, Robinson Medea Freely adapted from the Medea of Euripides Random House, New York, NY, USA, 1946. First edition, second issue: octavo; hardcover, quarter-bound in papered boards with gilt spine-titling; 107pp., top edge dyed blue with an illustrated title page. Very slightly rolled; boards are well-rubbed and bumped at corners and edges with some very minor water damage to the top edge of the upper board; retailer's bookplate to the front pastedown; text block edges mildly toned. Good. Click here to order $30

36324 Lowell, Robert The Old Glory Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, New York, NY, 1965. First US edition. Hardcover, octavo, 193pp. Minor wear only; near fine in like dustwrapper. Click here to order $20

66186 Mitchell, Adrian Houdini A Circus Opera Clowns, Amsterdam The Netherlands, nd. (c.1976). Octavo; paperback; unpaginated, with many monochrome illustrations. Mild wear; covers a little rubbed. Near fine. Click here to order $20

7431 Myerscough-Walker, R. Stage and Film Decor Pitman, London, nd. (c.1940). Quarto, hardcover; 192pp, with many monochrome illustrations, plus 11 tipped-in coloured plates. Mild wear; endpapers spotted and text block edges browned with a few scattered spots. Dustwrapper lightly chipped at corners and spine panel head; now professionally protected in archival film with white paper backing. Very good. This beautifully produced work provides a full and expert study of the development of decor from the symbolic simplicity of Greek drama to the complicated structures in use in theatre and cinema up to the early 1940's. Full details are given of the techniques involved in the conception and construction of film and stage sets. The vast collection of illustrations - many of them colour plates tipped in - add a wealth of interest to the already absorbing text. A remarkable historic production. Click here to order $50

88740 Pilcher, Velon (Blair Hughes-Stanton, illus.) The Searcher - A War Play Reading Version William Heinemann, London, 1929. Limited edition of 1000 copies. Quarto hardcover; red papered boards with dark red centre board engraving and dark red spine with gilt titling; 84pp., with nine monochrome engravings by Blair Hughes-Stanton; red and black typeface. Mild offsetting to endpapers; browned text block edges. Dark red card dustwrapper with dark red engraving on centre front and darker red titling and spine-titling; upper rear panel edge and rear spine edge very mildly faded; tiny missing segments at spine panel extremities and corners; tiny tear on upper front edge. Very good to near fine otherwise and protected in archival film with white paper backing. Click here to order $50

51451 Pinter, Harold A Slight Ache and other plays Methuen, London, 1961. First edition. Hardcover, octavo, 134pp. Owner's name on quite heavily foxed endpaper.Lightly rubbed dustwrapper with spotting and edge wear (now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film). Slightly spotted text block edges. Very good otherwise. Click here to order $20

217918 Rousseau, Henri (trans. Katherine Staples; illus. Margaret Harman) A Russian Orphan's Revenge Drama in 5 Acts 19 Scenes Prairie Books, Austin, 1978. Octavo paperback; 112pp., b&w line drawings. Covers lightly foxed and spine panel toned; mild spotting to text block edges. Very good. No. 197 of 500 numbered copies printed. Click here to order $50

217919 Rousseau, Henri (trans. Katherine Staples; illus. V. Maurer) A Trip to the Exposition of 1889 Vaudeville in 3 Acts and 10 Scenes Cafe Farrago, Austin, 1974. Stapled square octavo paperback; 60pp., b&w line drawings. Covers lightly worn and discoloured, a little scraping to spine. Inscription on front endpaper, pages lightly toned with spotting to upper text block edge. Very good. Click here to order $30

91032 Shaw, Bernard (illus. George Him) Two Plays for Puritans: The Devil's Disciple & Caesar and Cleopatra: Easton Press edition Easton Press, Norwalk, 1979. Large octavo hardcover; red leather bound boards with gilt spine titling and four bands, front board gilt decoration, orange silk endpapers; gilt edges all round and ribbon marker; 215pp., colour frontispiece monochrome line-drawings. Minor wear only. Near fine. Click here to order $35

90340 Stanislavski, Constantin (Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, trans.; Introduction by Joshua Logan) Building a Character Theatre Arts Books, New York NY, 1981. Reprint: octavo; hardcover, with upper board titles; 292pp. Mild wear; text block edges spotted; mild offset to the endpapers. Dustwrapper well-rubbed and sunned along the spine panel; top panel scraped; upper panel detached along the top hinge (still present); now backed by archival-quality white paper and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good. Click here to order $20

90339 Stanislavski, Constantin (Ellizabeth Reynolds Hapgood, trans.; Hermine I. Popper, ed.; Foreword by Robert Lewis) Creating a Role Theatre Arts Books, New York NY, 1980. Reprint: octavo; hardcover; 271pp. Mild wear; text block top edge spotted; mild offset to the endpapers. Dustwrapper well-rubbed and sunned along the spine panel; edges worn and top panel scraped; a large tear at the bottom of the upper flap turn; now backed by archival-quality white paper and professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Very good. Click here to order $20

210260 Theroux, Paul The White Man's Burden A Play in Two Acts Hamish Hamilton Ltd./Penguin Books (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Ringwood Vic., 1987. First edition. Octavo; hardcover, with gilt spine titles; 118pp. Mild wear; text block and page edges toned; previous owners' ink stamp to the flyleaf. Dustwrapper lightly rubbed and edgeworn; sunned along the spine panel. Very good. Click here to order $25

76703 Thomas, Dylan (Introduction by Douglas Cleverdon, ed.; Ceri Richards, illus.) Under Milk Wood - Folio Society edition A Play for Voices The Folio Society, London, 2004. Reprint: octavo; hardcover, full-cloth with decorated upper board and gilt spine titles; 93pp. with a colour frontispiece and 8 plates likewise. Very minor wear. Near fine in a like slipcase. Click here to order $25

87110 Tucker Brooke, C.F. (Ed.) The Shakespeare Apocrypha Being a Collection of Fourteen Plays which have been Ascribed to Shakespeare; Edited, with Introduction, Notes and Bibliography Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1908. Octavo; hardcover, with gilt spine and upper board titles and gilt spine decorations; 456pp., top edges gilt, with decorated title pages. Somewhat shaken; spine extremities softened; offset to the endpapers; text block edges toned with spotting; retailer's bookplate to the front pastedown. No dustwrapper. Very good. Click here to order $50

207313 Wang Rongpei & Zhang Ling (eds.) The Complete Dramatic Works of Tang Xianzu Bloomsbury China/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., London, 2018. Quarto; hardcover, with decorated boards; 1,060pp., with monochrome decorations. No dustwrapper as issued. Remainder. New. Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) is acclaimed as the 'Shakespeare of the East' and widely regarded as China's greatest playwright, yet his work has not reached Western readers in its entirety. The Complete Dramatic Works of Tang Xianzu represents a literary landmark: this is the first English-language collection of the revered dramatist's most important works to be made available outside China. Translated over two decades, the collection showcases the playwright's major pieces, including The Purple Flute, The Purple Hairpins, The Nanke Dream, The Handan Dream - and The Peony Pavilion. The Peony Pavilion is the playwright's most celebrated work and has drawn comparisons to Homer's Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, Dante's Divine Comedy and John Milton's Paradise Lost. Known for his lyrical use of metaphor, Tang Xianzu weaves the beauty of nature with the tragedy of emotion. His plays offer an extensive exploration of love, and remain at the heart of Chinese culture. This important collection represents an opportunity for a wider audience to discover the profound and poetic works of this classic playwright. Click here to order $32

218063 Watt, Stephen Joyce, O'Casey and the Irish Popular Theater Syracuse University Press, New York, 1991. Octavo hardcover; beige cloth boards with red gilt spine titling; 277pp., b&w illustrations. Very mild spotting to text block. Otherwise near fine in like dustwrapper. This text assesses the contribution of Irish popular culture, namely the theatre, to the various political and social discourses in turn-of-the-century Dublin. It also provides a portrait of the many actors, actresses and matinee idols who drew vast audiences into the Dublin theatres. Click here to order $22