Introduction

The eleven papers published here are a partial record of the second Manchester Symposium on Theatre, held at St Anselm Hall from 16–18 July 1971. Some things, inevitably, are missing from these pages. We cannot easily explain the contribution made to the proceedings by the general tone of generous interest, nor the pleasure of making and renewing friendships, and certain things that happened cannot be made to happen again: Graham Barlow’s detailed use of slides, Lucylle Hook’s questions (and answers) from the floor, the quality of Edgar Roberts’ sung illustrations to his account of Fielding, and the exchange between Arnold Hare and Cecil Price that might have become the subject of a paper on drama rather than the consequence of one. But in one respect the book has clearly gained over the Symposium. Kenneth Robinson was taken ill at the last minute, and his paper reached us a day too late to be read, so that only now does it find its rightful place.