Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize

Judged by theatre critic Cindy Marcolina, performer William Purefoy and historian Jennifer Thorp on a panel chaired by STR Committee Member Howard Loxton, the shortlist includes six titles ranging from an examination of Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, to a memoir of how a theatre company helped their community during the coronavirus pandemic.

The shortlist is as follows (listed alphabetically by author):

• But Will It Get a Laugh? The Life of Doris Hare in Three Acts by Kate Crehan (STR)
• An Actor’s Life in 12 Productions by Oliver Ford Davies (Book Guild)
• The Club on the Edge of Town: A Pandemic Memoir by Allan Lane (Salamander Street)
• Inside the Rehearsal Room: Process, Collaboration and Decision-Making by Robert Marsden (Methuen Drama)
• Pinter and Stoppard: A Director’s View by Carey Perloff (Methuen Drama)
• The Playwright’s Manifesto: How You Can be the Future of Playwriting by Paul Sirett (Methuen Drama)