A companion to UEP's Grand-Guignol: The French Theatre of Horror (now in its third reprint). A genre that has left more of a mark on British and American culture than we may imagine" (Gothic Studies).London's Grand Guignol was established in the early 1920s at the Little Theatre in the West End. It was a high-profile venture that enjoyed popular success as much as critical controversy. On its side were some of the finest actors on the English stage, in the shape of Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson, and a team of extremely able writers, including Noël Coward.London's Grand Guignol and the Theatre of Horror considers the importance and influence of the English Grand Guignol within its social, cultural and historical contexts. It also presents a selection of ten remakarble English-language Grand Guignol plays, some of which were banned by the Lord Chamberlain, the censor of the day, and have never been published or publicly performed. Among the plays in the book is a previously unpublished work by Noël Coward, The Better Half, first performed at the Little Theatre in 1922.The reviewer in the journal Gothic Studies wrote, of the authors' previous book: "having recently taught a module on Grand Guignol with third year drama students, it is also worth noting that this book captured their imaginations in a way that few other set texts seem to manage."

SECTION 1Chapter 1: A History of London's Grand GuignolChapter 2: London's Grand Guignol and Issues of Genre and WritingChapter 3: London's Grand Guignol: Performers and PerformingChapter 4: London's Grand Guignol: Censorship and ReceptionChapter 5: London's Grand Guignol and the ReviewersChapter 6: The Aftermath and Legacy of London's Grand GuignolSECTION 2Ten Plays of London's Grand GuignolEight O'Clock by Reginald BerkeleyA Man in Mary's Room by Gladys UngerPrivate Room Number 6 by André de LordeThe Person Unknownby H. F. MaltbyLatitude 15°Southby Victor MacClureThe Old Women by Christopher HollandThe Nutcracker Suite by Eliot Crawshay-WilliamsThe Sisters' Tragedy by Richard HughesThe Better Half by Noël CowardI Want To Go Home by H. F. MaltbyAPPENDICESAppendix 1 London's Grand Guignol, 1920-22Appendix 2 The Complete Repertoire of London's Grand Guignol, 1920-22Appendix 3 Extract from Oh, Hell!!! A 'Revuette' by Reginald Arkell and Russell ThorndikeBibliography