THE WHITE GUARD [BELAYA GVARDIYA] IS BANNED IN KIEV... THE FATE OF M. BULGAKOV’S PLAYS IN KIEV THEATRES IN 1926

Devoted to the production of M. Bulgakov’s plays in the 1926 Kiev, the article examines a comprehensive selection of archived manuscripts and printed material related to the staging of Bulgakov’s plays The Days of the Turbins [Dni Turbinykh] and Zoyka’s Apartment [Zoykina kvartira] in Ukrainian theatres: in I. Franko Ukrainian Drama Theatre and the Russian Drama Theatre (RDT). This review is the most comprehensive one to this day that analyses the main circumstances and motifs of the short-lived stage life of Bulgakov’s plays in the 1926 Kiev, a consequence of both the artistic policies of theatrical management, as well as the financial situation. Another reason was the ideological censorship imposed not only by the designated officials, but also by the contemporary nationalistic mood: first, it led to the ban of The Days of the Turbins at the I. Franko Theatre (director G. Yura) and then at RDT (director Y. Sobolev); next, the very popular and therefore lucrative play Zoyka’s Apartment had to be cancelled by RDT, which thus lost their box-office hit.

Picturing Nineteenth-Century Female Theatre Managers: the Iconology of Eliza Vestris and Sara Lane

Lucia Elizabeth Vestris (1797–1856) and Sara Lane (1822–99) were two pioneering women in nineteenth-century theatre history. Both were accomplished singers who made their names initially in comic and breeches roles and, during periods when theatrical management was almost exclusively confined to men, both ran successful theatre companies in London. Despite these parallels in their professional activities, there are substantial disparities in the scrutiny to which their personal lives were subjected and in how their contemporaries and posterity have memorialized them. In this article, Janice Norwood examines a range of portraits and cartoons of the two women, revealing how the images created and reflected the women's public identities, as well as recording changes in aesthetic practice and social attitudes. She argues that the women's iconology was fundamentally shaped by the contemporary discourse of gender difference. Janice Norwood is Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Drama, and Theatre Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. She has published on various aspects of nineteenth-century theatre history and edited a volume on Vestris for the Lives of Shakespearian Actors series (London: Pickering and Chatto, 2011).

EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY POLITICS AND PATRONAGE: MUSIC AND THE REPUBLICAN REVOLUTION OF NAPLES

ABSTRACTIn December 1798 the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, with Naples as its capital, capitulated to the Republican armed forces of France under the direction of General Championnet. The establishment of the First Republic of Naples, the so-called Parthenopean Republic, was brief, lasting only until June 1799. Although fleeting, the Republic nevertheless exercised a profound effect on virtually every facet of contemporaneous society, especially music and theatre. In this essay I examine musical life during the first Republic of Naples (1798–1799), based upon surviving primary sources.These sources include legal and civic documents, personal diaries and correspondence, employment rosters, newspapers (giornali), opera librettos and musical compositions. They illustrate the effects of the revolution on contemporary artistic practices, specifically with regard to those political and social uses of the operatic stage by the new regime that had consequences for repertory choice, production practices, theatrical management and the artists themselves. The bringing-together of these sources provides not only a detailed chronicle of contemporaneous events, but also significantly furthers present-day understanding of artistic practices during the Republic as well as providing a context for the policies enacted with the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy.

The Funding of Drama Student Training in Britain

The National Council for Drama Training represents the drama sector of the British performing arts industry and is responsible for the accreditation of the standard and content of the courses at vocational drama schools for professional actors and stage managers, to ensure their relevance to the industry. The Council has three wings: the employers (Society of London Theatre, Theatrical Management Association, the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, and ITV), the trades union (Equity), and the leading professional training providers. The purpose of the report which follows was to provide as objective as possible an assessment of the workings of the government's new Dance and Drama Awards scheme, to assist the industry in discussions with Government on improvements to the scheme. Its author, Graham Marchant, is an arts consultant with an exceptional breadth of knowledge and experience, particularly as theatre administrator, senior Arts Council officer, and principal of a vocational school for professional dancers. The NCDT was enabled to commission the Report through the generous provision of funds from the Mackintosh Foundation and the Society of London Theatre.

An Examination of the Plays Produced by Madame Vestris during her Management of the Olympic Theatre in London from January 3, 1831 to May 31, 1839.

One of the highpoints of theatrical management in London during the early part of the 19th century was achieved by Madame Vestris in the nine seasons she operated the Olympic Theatre from January 3, 1831 to May 31, 1839. Important contributions in management, acting and scenic decor were made and have been commented upon. The free list was suspended; the practice of “puffing” (praising a work in advance of actual performance) was abandoned; the final curtain was rung down each night at 11 P.M. instead of the usual hour of midnight; actors' benefit performances were abolished; failures were withdrawn as quickly as possible from further performances; and by allowing no one behind the scenes to visit with actors and actresses the general atmosphere backstage was improved.