author
Austin Brereton
1862–1922
A lively drama critic and theatre historian, he wrote with an insider’s eye about Victorian and Edwardian stage life. His books on Henry Irving, London theatres, and literary London preserve a rich picture of the world behind the curtain.
1 Audiobook
The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its Neighbourhood
by Austin Brereton
About the author
Born in Liverpool in 1862, Austin Brereton built his career around the theatre. He worked in London as a dramatic critic for The Stage, edited Dramatic Notes, and served as assistant editor of The Theatre. For a time he also worked in Australia, where he was dramatic and art critic for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Brereton is best remembered for books that blend biography, criticism, and theatrical history. He wrote extensively about the great actor-manager Henry Irving, including The Life of Henry Irving and The Lyceum and Henry Irving, and he also published studies of London playhouses and literary neighborhoods such as The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its Neighbourhood.
He died in 1922, but his work still appeals to readers interested in the stage as a living world rather than just a list of plays and dates. His writing is especially valuable for the way it captures the personalities, places, and atmosphere of late 19th-century theatre culture.