John Lahr describes the lives and careers of playwrights, directors and performers, providing a vivid backdrop to his critique of particular productions in this book of theatrical criticism, history and gossip. He also makes the reader feel present at the run-up to an opening night: in London with Dame Edna, with Tony Kushner in Los Angeles. Lahr is everywhere, from the newest Brian Friel play in Dublin, to Toronto on a Hal Prince revival of Show Boat, from Stockholm on Ingmar Bergman's production of Yukio Mishima's Madame de Sade, to London and Broadway.