Menander and the Making of Comedy

This introduction to the comedy of Menander is the work of two classical scholars, both of whom have worked extensively as theatre practitioners. It considers the plays of Menander primarily as performance pieces and uncovers the dramatic technique of this widely admired comic writer, whose plays had all but disappeared until the 1950s. Looking at the theatrical context of Menandrian comedy in its widest sense, the book includes discussions of recent productions, the recovery of the texts, the treatment of women and slaves, the nature of Menander’s comedy, and where it may have led within the European tradition. This book should be of interest to both students of theatre and classicists.