1880年以降、近代演劇から戦後の進展を経て今日の至るまでを20年区切りにして、全7章で近現代の演劇を考察します。近現代の演劇は対極と反対思考を通じ、観客と演者の双方の限界を試し続けた両極端の積み重ねの物語であるということができます。ブレヒトやベケットらが提示した新たな理論の足跡を追い、また画期的な作品の数々を挙げながら、演劇の進化とその魅力、活気、多様性に光を当て、今日の演劇がいかに国際的な現象となっているかを紹介します。
　　　

• Traces the development and evolution of modern drama since 1880
• Considers drama from a diverse range of cultures and societies
• Emphasizes the dual nature of drama, exploring how it behaves on both the page and the stage
• Covers the works of key playwrights including Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov, Shaw, Wilde, Glaspell, O'Neill, Osborne, Delaney, Hansberry, Williams, Miller, Baraka, and Churchill, and considers how they share themes of hostility and contrarianism

　
The story of modern drama is a tale of extremes, testing both audiences and actors to their limits through hostility and contrarianism. Spanning 1880 to the present, Kirsten E. Shepherd-Barr shows how truly international a phenomenon modern drama has become, and how vibrant and diverse in both text and performance. 

This Very Short Introduction explores the major developments of modern drama, covering two decades per chapter, from early modernist theatre through post-war developments to more recent and contemporary theatre. Shepherd-Barr tracks the emergence of new theories from the likes of Brecht and Beckett alongside groundbreaking productions to illuminate the fascinating evolution of modern drama.