Book Review: 100 THEATRES: PORTRAITS OF THE PLAYHOUSE

100 Theatres: Portraits of the Playhouse showcases a variety of venues worldwide, from ancient to modern, from the smallest travelling theatre in Rome to one of the largest in New York. Paul Tracey's paintings capture the spirit of the playhouse in all its grandeur and mystery. It is all about the images, with the briefest of textual accompaniment.

This is a coffee table art book, a global odyssey across performance venues and what they represent. Even a few venues that no longer exist are presented and resurrected so they are at least remembered on the page. The paintings feel mysterious, transient, and alluring, reflecting the temporary status of the shows that are staged within the playhouses and the changing line-up of those who have trodden the board.

To place the art in context, 100 Theatres includes reproductions of postcards, posters, programmes and photographs reflecting the history of many of the venues. These could have been expanded in some cases, but this book is a stepping stone to find out more about each theatre, if you wish to do so. There are more in-depth photographic records out there including London Theatres by Michael Coveney and Peter Dazeley.

Tracey instead opts to find a moment to capture, and in flicking through this book noting both recognisable venues and those in far-off places, I kept being drawn back to the brushstrokes, the tiny details which give the theatres more life than a photograph can do. 

Following on from 100 Piers, also from Unicorn, Tracey continues to draw attention to the buildings we pass every day but might not pause to really see. 

100 Theatres is now available from book stockists worldwide from Unicorn Publishing.

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