Arden Early Modern Drama Series

Philaster

by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Published November 1969

Philaster is a tragicomedy by Beaumont and Fletcher which has much in common with Shakespeare's late plays such as The Winter's Tale. Set in a fictionalised Sicily, it has the complex plot of love, disguise and the threat of death much loved by early modern theatre-goers. This edition provides an authoritative, modernised text by a leading scholar with detailed on-page commentary notes giving readers a deeper understanding of the play. The comprehensive, illustrated introduction discusses Philaster from a performance perspective as well as its relation to Shakespearean drama, and places it in its historical and critical contexts. The play is often taught on Shakespeare and Early Modern drama courses but only now is such a detailed, modern edition available for use by students and scholars. With its wealth of helpful and incisive commentary, this is the finest edition of the play available. The Arden Early Modern Drama series accompanies and complements the Arden Shakespeare Third Series, offering editions of non-Shakespearean Renaissance drama and Restoration drama from the period 1500-1700.
Modelled on the Third Series in appearance and style Arden Early Modern Drama editions will offer high-quality textual scholarship and full annotation, together with an accessible, student-friendly introduction.

The Island Princess

by John Fletcher

Published 11 July 2002

RSC Classics - a series of rarely performed plays from the 16th and 17th centuries, published alongside their resurrection by the RSC in Stratford and the West End in 2002/03.

John Fletcher's play The Island Princess is a lyrical and poetic Discovery Play, first performed c.1621.

Five men compete for the hand of Princess Quisara on the Indonesian island of Tidore. She vows to marry the man who can free her imprisoned brother. But she soon faces both a conflict of faith and a moral dilemma as her idealism and beliefs are challenged beyond her expectations.

This edition of The Island Princess is edited with an introduction by Gordon McMullan and preface by Gregory Doran.

The plays in the Nick Hern Books RSC Classics series reflect the diversity of styles, themes and subjects of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage, and include a 'new' addition to the Shakespeare canon.