Behind the Footlights
Ethel Brilliana Tweedie
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
In this collection of essays the author gives us an opportunity to peek into the mysterious life of the theatre; she recalls her numerous conversations with and anecdotes about the "stage folk", such as actors, actresses, playwrights, stage directors or managers. However, her portrayal of theatrical life doesn't aim at glamorising the profession and the day-to-day life of those connected with the stage. On the contrary, if there's one overarching theme to her stories it is the repeated assurance that it's a hard and precarious existence, even for those at the top of the profession, let alone those who play minor parts and are rarely mentioned. (summary by Piotr Nater) (9 hr 15 min)
Chapters
| The Glamour of the Stage | 36:05 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| Cradled in the Theatre | 42:48 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| Theatrical Folk | 46:11 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| Plays and Playwrights | 26:42 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| The Army and the Stage | 29:42 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| Designing the Dresses | 22:12 | Read by Teresa Spencer |
| Supper on the Stage | 38:21 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Madame Sarah Bernhardt | 34:31 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| An Historical First Night | 20:09 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Opera Comic | 21:35 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| The First Pantomime Rehearsal | 33:22 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Sir Henry Irving and Stage Lighting | 28:22 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Why a Novelist Becomes a Dramatist | 34:23 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Scene-Painting and Choosing a Play | 18:49 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Theatrical Dressing-Rooms | 26:16 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| How Does a Man Get on the Stage? | 13:14 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| A Girl in the Provinces | 34:41 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Perils of the Stage | 30:21 | Read by Piotr Nater |
| Chorus Girl Number II on the Left | 17:28 | Read by Piotr Nater |