Toy Theatres of the World

by Peter Baldwin

product_description

152 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Peter Baldwin is Professor of History at UCLA, and Global Distinguished Professor at NYU. His recent books are Command and Persuade: Crime, Law, and the State across History (MIT Press); Fighting the First Wave: Why the Coronavirus Was Tackled So Differently across the Globe; and The Copyright Wars: Three Centuries of Trans-Atlantic Battle. He serves on the boards of the New York Public Library, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Wikimedia Endowment, the Central European University, the Danish Institute of Advanced Studies, and as chair of the Board of the Center for Jewish History. His journalistic writings have appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, Newsweek, New Republic, Huffington Post, Der Spiegel, Berliner Zeitung, Publishers Weekly, American Interest, Chronicle of Higher Education, Prospect, American Interest, and Zocalo Public Square.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an English 19th century toy theater (Juvenile Drama) as a child. My British grandfather brought it stateside for me and it had all the scene sheets and the characters that went with it. I was completely enchanted and played with it for hours. I would stand behind it and put on my own shows for my family. (Of course, this was before computers and color television so I have no idea what today's child would think of it.)

This charming book “Toy Theaters of the World” is filled with photographs and illustrations, both color and monochrome, of these magical toys from around the world. I especially enjoyed seeing the remarkable “Imagery d' Epinal” little paper theaters from France. They were works of art!

Additional chapters cover records of productions of theater from the past and the beautiful art work of German artist Theodor Guggenberger. These paper theaters served as the PR for the 19th century theatrical productions as well so publishers William West, J.S. Schreiber and Benjamin Pollock are mentioned. Also G. K. Chesterton and his toy theater play “George and the Dragon” has a brief chapter. Five stars. Recommended.