Dramatists, Playing Companies, and Repertories. Introduction: The Repertory-Based Approach

This essay situates the Issues in Review section as a whole in relation to the growing field of repertory studies. It attempts to outline why critics and theatre historians have come to see a repertory-based approach as representing a productive way of thinking about early modern drama, and makes reference to recent developments in this area. Finally, it suggests that the essays that follow can be seen as responding to specific tensions and problems within the methodology of repertory studies