This book provides a comprehensive account of the cutlural history of English drama. Drawing upon new empirical research and the latest theoretical models, Shepherd and Womack show how the character of a given theatrical 'age', as traditionally described, is packed with contradictions and uneven in development. Focusing on key historical moments and modes, they offer chapters on Medieval Theatre, Renaissance Drama, Restoration Comedy, Melodrama, and Naturalism, and conclude with accounts of Post-War British Theatre and the State, and Drama in the Age of Television.