Actors and Editors: A Feature of the Edition Richard Brome Online

Abstract

The Richard Brome Online project put to the proof a new approach to the editing of playtexts. Richard Brome’s collected plays have not been edited since 1873; only two have been recently staged in England. Understanding of his dramaturgy and its stage-worthiness is decidedly overdue, even though Brome sustained a long career with the foremost Caroline companies. Given the range of his comic styles, satirical vision, experiments with form, tone and metatheatricality, Brome is central to an appreciation of Caroline theatre. Publishing online enabled the editorial panel both to make the canon available and prove its viability in performance by making space to include filmed extracts of recorded workshops where crucial scenes from each play were explored with professional actors. The nine editors were encouraged to share their work with project colleagues and open wider questions regarding ‘how to edit performance texts’ with experienced actors. The project did not seek to define a set rubric for editing and workshopping as a team, but tested multiple ways of sharing and questioning our editorial instincts.¹