dublinka

I've been gorging on The Methuen Book of Theatre Verse today. As the name suggests, it's an anthology, covering all aspects of theatre: actors, audiences, backstage, critics, playwrights and so forth. It's a small pleasure really, with a host of familiar actors and critics variously lampooned and praised. And its editors, Jonathan and Moira Field have dug up some really captivating verse, which is often simultaneously descriptive, amusing, and instructive of its subject matter. The never disappointing Don Marquis has this to say, from archy confesses, about Shakespeare:

coarse
jocosity
catches the crowd
shakespeare
and i
are often
low browed

And Humbert Wolf this about scenery:

S is for scenery. Gorden Craig and the rest,
just hang up a duster and hope for the best

Finally, among a feast of other interesting light hearted poems, there's also a selection of more serious verse, including a beautifully sad piece about Nijinsky's mad period, by Jonathan Field himself. Recommended.