The 101 greatest plays - Michael Billington

'The
101 Greatest Plays? I know: it sounds a bit arrogant. Who, after all,
has the encyclopedic knowledge to make such a list? I guess that, during
nearly fifty years as a critic, I must have seen some nine thousand
plays. I have tried to use that experience in the book and make constant
reference to particular productions that reinforce my notion of
greatness. Eyebrows will doubtless be raised about my final
selection: the omissions even more than the inclusions. Shakespearians
will be outraged, Beckettians will be astonished.

Let the debate begin . . .'

Britain's longest-serving theatre critic Michael Billington's
provocative and highly personal selection of the 101 greatest plays
ranging from the Greeks to the present-day.

101 extended essays
- and occasional dialogues - put the plays in context, justify their
inclusion, explain their significance and trace their performance
history.

Ultimately, it's a book that poses an infinite number
of questions. What makes a great play? Does the definition change with
time and circumstance? Are certain common factors visible down the ages?

In revising the canon The 101 Greatest Plays is bound
to stimulate passionate argument, but first and foremost it is a
celebration of the art of the dramatist. It is the product of a lifetime
spent watching and reading, a record of the adventures of a soul
amongst masterpieces.