From Plato onwards, philosophers the world over have pondered the fraught relationship between the illusory practices of the stage and the rational pursuit of knowledge. In this engaging and accessible volume, David Kornhaber sheds new light on this ancient quarrel. Drawing on a global array of theatrical traditions and spanning millennia - from the Sanskrit dramas of classical India to Shakespeare and Greek tragedy, from the Noh drama of Japan to West End comedies and avant-grade performances - this book vividly demonstrates how questions of knowledge have long animated the theatre and continue to motivate some of its most innovative practices.

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