author
R. J. Broadbent
A lively early theater historian, remembered for writing about pantomime and the stage at the turn of the 20th century. His surviving books still appeal to readers curious about how popular entertainment evolved.
1 Audiobook
A History of Pantomime
by R. J. Broadbent
About the author
R. J. Broadbent was a British writer on theater history whose best-known work is A History of Pantomime, first published in London in 1901. The book presents a wide-ranging look at pantomime, tracing the form from classical and European traditions to its place on the English stage.
Records of his publications also link him to Stage Whispers (1901), Annals of the Liverpool Stage (1908), and Elizabeth Farren, Countess of Derby (1910). Taken together, these titles suggest a strong interest in performance history, actors, and theatrical life, especially in Britain.
Little biographical information about Broadbent appears to be easily confirmed in major public references, so details of his personal life remain unclear. What is clear is the focus of his work: preserving stories of the stage and explaining theatrical traditions for general readers.