This interesting, well-written textbook looks at naturalism from the earliest theorists and practitioners to its likely modern equivalents...the book is engaging for seasoned theatre scholars - Choice Reviews A must-have book for valuing and respecting the words, 'Naturalism in Theatre', and its past, present and future influences on our theatrical history. - Word Matters: The Journal of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama The book illuminates, with commendable scope and ambition, the wider cultural, political and philosophical dimensions of Naturalist theatre, and the range of theatre practices implicated in its systems of representation. An excellent one-stop course companion to the subject. - Chris Megson, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK 'Pickering and Thompson have crafted a rich and supremely organized text. Exploring the history of naturalist theatre in an array of contexts-from Paris to Moscow to London and beyond-they reveal the complex landscape of a powerful cultural movement. Students will be both engaged and challenged by this creative and critical approach to the study of theatre history.' - Margaret Araneo-Reddy, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA