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Love of the theatre began at an early age for John Westland Marston (1819–90), and developed into his life's work as a playwright, critic and literary figure of the Victorian era. He fell out of fashion and into poverty in the last years of his life, though Irving and other friends helped with a gala benefit performance of his most famous play. This two-volume work, published in 1888, is a tribute to the actors, plays and performances of his youth. Victorian dramatic works ranged through a variety of styles and genres, and Marston's recollections cover the wide area of theatrical culture in which he was involved. Volume 1 includes chapters on the actors Macready, Charles and Ellen Kean and the Kemble family. Combining professional knowledge, backstage anecdotes and accounts of the emotional impact of performances upon Marston himself, the work offers an insight into the growth and development of nineteenth-century theatre.
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