John Barrymore's Richard III and Hamlet, first seen in New York during the 1919-20 and 1922-3 seasons, stand as high-water marks of 20th-century Shakespearean interpretation. In this 1997 book, Morrison reconstructs these historic performances through analysis of production preparation, audience response, reviews, and memoirs.
John Barrymore was an original, capable of electrifying audiences with the subtle force and brilliance of his acting. His dynamic portrayals and the groundbreaking innovations of his production team, the director Arthur Hopkins and the designer Robert Edmond Jones, helped revitalize Shakespearean acting and production in America and Great Britain and changed the direction of subsequent revivals. In this meticulously researched and richly illustrated book, Michael A. Morrison draws upon newly uncovered sources and firsthand interviews with witnesses who knew the actor or saw him perform. Barrymore's historic performances are brought to life through accounts of the preparations, the productions themselves, and the responses of audiences and critics.
