A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2

A Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2 by Various delivers a riveting anthology of early modern English drama, edited with scholarly care by A. H. Bullen and filled with rare, first-time printed texts. This dramatic anthology assembles anonymous and attributed plays from the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, including Dick of Devonshire, The Lady Mother, The Tragedy of Sir John Van Olden Barnavelt, and Captain Underwit, together with appendices and explanatory notes. The volume situates these works in their historical context—showcasing the theatrical range of the period from sharp comedy to political tragedy—while offering modern readers insight into authorship debates (Barnavelt is widely associated with Fletcher and Massinger; Captain Underwit with Shirley; The Lady Mother with Glapthorne; Dick of Devonshire possibly Heywood). Bullen’s meticulous introduction, footnotes, and manuscript accounts illuminate staging, language, and the cultural pressures that shaped these plays, without spoiling dramatic surprises. Ideal for students of English literature, historians of the theatre, and fans of classic drama, this audiobook brings early modern stagecraft to life and is a compelling listen for anyone curious about the roots of English drama and its enduring themes.