<p><strong>Winner of the Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize 2023</strong></p><p>The director Peter Dews prophesied: ¿You¿ll be alright when you¿re forty, and even better when you¿re fifty.¿ It turns out that Peter Dews was right, almost to the month.<br><br>In a study of British theatre through a varied acting career spanning over sixty years, Oliver Ford Davies explores the many changes within the performing arts scene through his experiences on various stages, in a variety of productions, across the country.<br><br>Davies charts the ups and downs of British theatre in the last sixty years, while offering a unique perspective on life behind the curtain and the daring journey from leaving behind an academic career and into acting.<br><br>From Shakespeare to Shaw, Chekhov to Pirandello, this is the story of an actor initially struggling to make a mark before making his breakthrough at fifty, winning the Olivier Best Actor award and being propelled into thirty years of lead