Theatre-fiction refers to novels and short-stories that focus on theatre. Characters often include actors, playwrights, directors, prompters, understudies, set designers, critics, or casting agents. Common settings may include theatre auditoriums, dressing rooms, rehearsal spaces, or other places in which theatre is created and performed. Theatre-fiction may engage with and represent many different varieties of theatre, from performances of Shakespearean tragedy to Kabuki theatre to pantomime or marionette shows.

List of novels and stories about theatre

The novels and stories in this list share a substantial and sustained focus on theatre. Many of them could be described as "theatre-novels" or "theatre-stories", as Graham Wolfe has defined these terms (Wolfe is referring to works whose engagement with theatre as artistic practice or industry "is sufficiently developed to become a ''dominant''" in the textWolfe, Graham. ''Theatre-Fiction in Britain from Henry James to Doris Lessing: Writing in the Wings''. New York: Routledge, 2019. 4.). In some cases (e.g. Twain's ''Huckleberry Finn'' or Tolstoy's ''War and Peace''), only particular segments or chapters focus on theatrical performance or characters associated with theatre; in other cases, the novel or story is dominantly concerned with theatre. *

Paul Scarron Paul Scarron (c. 1 July 1610 in Paris – 6 October 1660 in Paris) (a.k.a. Monsieur Scarron) was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist, born in Paris. Though his precise birth date is unknown, he was baptized on 4 July 1610. Scarron was the fi ...

, '' Le Roman comique'' (1651) * Henry Fielding, ''

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', often known simply as ''Tom Jones'', is a comic novel by English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. It is a ''Bildungsroman'' and a picaresque novel. It was first published on 28 February 1749 in L ...

'' (1749) *

Oliver Goldsmith Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1728 – 4 April 1774) was an Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright, dramatist and poet, who is best known for his novel ''The Vicar of Wakefield'' (1766), his pastoral poem ''The Deserted Village'' (1770), and his pl ...

, “The Adventures of a Strolling Player” (1759) * Oliver Goldsmith, '' The Vicar of Wakefield'' (1766) *

Fanny Burney Frances Burney (13 June 1752 – 6 January 1840), also known as Fanny Burney and later Madame d'Arblay, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and playwright. In 1786–1790 she held the post as "Keeper of the Robes" to Charlotte of Mecklen ...

, ''

Evelina ''Evelina, or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World'' is a novel written by English author Fanny Burney and first published in 1778. Although published anonymously, its authorship was revealed by the poet George Huddesford in wh ...

'' (1778) *

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

, '' Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship'' (1796) *

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

, ''

Mansfield Park ''Mansfield Park'' is the third published novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1814 by Thomas Egerton. A second edition was published in 1816 by John Murray, still within Austen's lifetime. The novel did not receive any public reviews unt ...

'' (1814) *

Carl Jonas Love Almquist Carl Jonas Love Ludvig Almqvist (28 November 1793 – 26 September 1866) was a Swedish author, romantic poet, romantic critic of political economy, realist, composer and social critic. Biography Carl Jonas Love Almqvist was born in Stockho ...

, ''

The Queen's Tiara ''The Queen's Tiara'' ( sv, Drottningens juvelsmycke lit. "The Queen's Jewels") is a classic Swedish novel by Carl Jonas Love Almquist. It is the fourth instalment in the series of novels known as ''Törnrosens bok'' (The Book of the Thorn Rose) ...

'' (1834) * Honoré de Balzac, ''

Illusions perdues ''Illusions perdues'' — in English, ''Lost Illusions'' — is a serial novel written by the French writer Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843. It consists of three parts, starting in provincial France, thereafter moving to Paris, and final ...

'' (1837) *

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

, '' Nicholas Nickleby'' (1839) *

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

, “ The Spectacles” (1844) *

Henry Chorley Henry Fothergill Chorley (15 December 1808 – 16 February 1872) was an English literary, art and music critic, writer and editor. He was also an author of novels, drama, poetry and lyrics. Chorley was a prolific and important music and litera ...

, ''Pomfret; or, Public Opinion and Private Judgment'' (1845) *

Geraldine Jewsbury Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury (22 August 1812 – 23 September 1880) was an English novelist, book reviewer and literary figure in London, best known for popular novels such as ''Zoe: the History of Two Lives'' and reviews for the literary periodica ...

, ''The Half Sisters'' (1848) * Charlotte Brontë, '' Villette'' (1853) *

Charles Reade Charles Reade (8 June 1814 – 11 April 1884) was a British novelist and dramatist, best known for '' The Cloister and the Hearth''. Life Charles Reade was born at Ipsden, Oxfordshire, to John Reade and Anne Marie Scott-Waring, and had at leas ...

, ''

Peg Woffington Margaret Woffington (18 October 1720 – 28 March 1760), known professionally as Peg Woffington, was an Irish actress and socialite of the Georgian era. Peg and Peggy were a common pet name for those called Margaret until the late 20th centu ...

'' (1853) *

Albert Richard Smith Albert Richard Smith (24 May 181623 May 1860) was an English author, entertainer, and mountaineer. Biography Literary career Smith was born at Chertsey, Surrey. The son of a surgeon, he studied medicine in London and in Paris, and his first ...

, ''The Fortunes of the Scattergood Family'' (1855) *

Annie Edwards Annie Edwards (c. 1830–1896), also known as Annie Edwardes, was a popular English novelist in the Victorian era. Three of her 21 books were adapted for the theatre. Perhaps her best-known work is her 1866 novel, ''Archie Lovell'', which the pl ...

, ''The Morals of May Fair'' (1858) * Charles Dickens, ''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (Great Expectations), Pip (the book is a ''bildungsroman''; a coming-of-age story). It ...

'' (1860) * Wilkie Collins, '' No Name'' (1862) *

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...

, ''

Behind a Mask ''Behind a Mask, or A Woman's Power'' is a novella written by American author Louisa May Alcott. The novella was originally published in 1866 under the pseudonym of A. M. Barnard in '' The Flag of Our Union''. Set in Victorian era Britain, the s ...

'' (1866) *

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

, '' War and Peace'' (1867) * Joseph Hatton, ''Christopher Kenrick: His Life and Adventures'' (1869) *

William Black William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...

, ''In Silk Attire'' (1869) * Ivan Turgenev, ''

Torrents of Spring ''Torrents of Spring'', also known as ''Spring Torrents'' (russian: Вешние воды ''Veshniye vody''), is an 1872 novella by Ivan Turgenev. It is highly autobiographical in nature, and centers on a young Russian landowner, Dimitry Sanin ...

'' (1872) * George Eliot, ''

Daniel Deronda ''Daniel Deronda'' is a novel written by Mary Ann Evans under the pen name of George Eliot, first published in eight parts (books) February to September 1876. It was the last novel she completed and the only one set in the Victorian society ...

'' (1876) * Bertha Henry Buxton, ''Jennie of ‘The Prince's’'' (1876) * Bertha Henry Buxton, ''Nell—On Stage and Off'' (1879) * Bertha Henry Buxton, ''From the Wings'' (1880) *

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...

, ''

Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana (c ...

'' (1880) *

Florence Marryat Florence Marryat (9 July 1833 – 27 October 1899) was a British author and actress. The daughter of author Capt. Frederick Marryat, she was particularly known for her sensational novels and her involvement with several celebrated spiritual me ...

, ''My Sister the Actress'' (1881) * Edmond de Goncourt, ''La Faustin'' (1881) * Florence Marryat, ''Facing the Footlights'' (1882) * Florence Marryat, ''Peeress and Player'' (1883) *

Arsène Houssaye Arsène Houssaye (28 March 181526 February 1896) was a French novelist, poet and man of letters. Biography Houssaye was born in Bruyères ( Aisne), near Laon; his original surname was Housset. In 1832 he found his way to Paris, and in 1836 he ...

, ''La comédienne'' (1884) * Mary Augusta Ward, ''Miss Bretherton'' (1884) *

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...

, '' Huckleberry Finn'' (1884) * William Black, ''Judith Shakespeare'' (1885) * George Moore, ''A Mummer’s Wife'' (1885) * Bjarne P. Holmsen, '' Papa Hamlet'' (1889) *

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

, ''

The Tragic Muse ''The Tragic Muse'' is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in ''The Atlantic Monthly'' in 1889–1890 and then as a book in 1890. This wide, cheerful panorama of English life follows the fortunes of two would-be artists: Nick Dor ...

'' (1890) *

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

, ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical fiction, philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical ''Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''Th ...

'' (1890) *

Georges Rodenbach Georges Raymond Constantin Rodenbach (16 July 1855 – 25 December 1898) was a Belgian Symbolist poet and novelist. Biography Georges Rodenbach was born in Tournai to a French mother and a German father from the Rhineland (Andernach). He was ...

, '' Bruges-la-Morte'' (1892) * Henry James, “The Private Life” (1892) * Henry James, “Nona Vincent” (1893) *

Francis Gribble Francis Henry Gribble (1862-1946) was a British writer born in Devon. During World War I, he worked in the Ministry of Information. He published a memoir called ''Seen in Passing'' (1926). He was the son of a banker and received his education at C ...

, ''Sunlight and Limelight: A Story of the Stage Life and the Real Life'' (1898) * Leonard Merrick, ''The Actor-Manager'' (1898) * Theodore Dreiser, ''

Sister Carrie ''Sister Carrie'' (1900) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) about a young woman who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own American Dream. She first becomes a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, but later ...

'' (1900) * Anatole France, ''Histoire comique'' (1903) *

Saki Hector Hugh Munro (18 December 1870 – 14 November 1916), better known by the pen name Saki and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirize Edwardian society and cultur ...

, “Reginald’s Drama” (1904) *

Arthur Symons Arthur William Symons (28 February 186522 January 1945) was a British poet, critic and magazine editor. Life Born in Milford Haven, Wales, to Cornish parents, Symons was educated privately, spending much of his time in France and Italy. In 1884 ...

, “Esther Kahn” (1905) *

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

, "Weland's Sword" (1906) *

Louise Closser Hale Louise Closser Hale (October 13, 1872 – July 26, 1933) was an American actress, playwright, and novelist. Early life Louise Closser was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 13, 1872. Her father was Joseph Closser, a grain dealer, and her ...

, ''The Actress'' (1909) * Sholem Aleichem, '' Wandering Stars'' (1909) * Gaston Leroux, '' The Phantom of the Opera'' (1909–10) *

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...

, '' La Vagabonde'' (1910) * Leonard Merrick, ''The Position of Peggy Harper'' (1911) * Colette, ''L’Enfant de Bastienne'' (1912) * Colette, ''L’Envers du music hall'' (1913) * Colette, '' Mitsou'' (1919) *

D.H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

, ''

The Lost Girl ''The Lost Girl'' is a novel by D. H. Lawrence, first published in 1920. It was awarded the 1920 James Tait Black Memorial Prize in the fiction category. Lawrence started it shortly after writing ''Women in Love'', and worked on it only spora ...

'' (1920) *

Rafael Sabatini Rafael Sabatini (29 April 1875 – 13 February 1950) was an Italian-born British writer of romance and adventure novels. He is best known for his worldwide bestsellers: ''The Sea Hawk'' (1915), ''Scaramouche'' (1921), ''Captain Blood'' (a.k.a ...

, ''

Scaramouche Scaramouche () or Scaramouch (; from Italian Scaramuccia , literally "little skirmisher") is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature). The role combined characteristics of the ...

'' (1921) *

Avery Hopwood James Avery Hopwood (May 28, 1882 – July 1, 1928) was an American playwright of the Jazz Age. He had four plays running simultaneously on Broadway in 1920. Early life Hopwood was born to James and Jule Pendergast Hopwood on May 28, 1882 ...

, ''The Great Bordello: A Story of the Theatre'' (1928) * Patrick Hamilton, ''Twopence Coloured'' (1928) * Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson, ''

Enter Sir John ''Enter Sir John'' is a 1928 British crime novel by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson. It concerns Martella Baring, a young actress, who is put on trial and convicted of murder and a fellow actor Sir John Saumarez who takes up her cause and tries ...

'' (1928) * J. B. Priestley, ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established him as a national figure. It won ...

'' (1929) * Clemence Dane, '' Broome Stages'' (1931) * Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson, ''

Re-Enter Sir John ''Re-enter Sir John'' is a 1932 Literature of the United Kingdom, British crime novel written by Clemence Dane and Helen de Guerry Simpson, Helen Simpson. It was the sequel to the 1928 novel ''Enter Sir John'', which had been adapted into a film ' ...

'' (1932) * Rachel Ferguson, ''A Child in the Theatre'' (1933) *

Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker (née Rothschild; August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, writer, critic, and satirist based in New York; she was known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles. From a conflicted and unhap ...

, “Glory in the Daytime” (1933) *

Alan Melville Alan Melville (19 May 1910 – 18 April 1983) was a South African cricketer who played in 11 Tests from 1938 to 1949. He was born in Carnarvon, Northern Cape, South Africa and died at Sabie, Transvaal. Early life and cricket career Melville w ...

, ''

Quick Curtain ''Quick Curtain'' is a 1934 detective novel by the British writer Alan Melville (writer), Alan Melville.Hopkins p.19 It was his second novel following his breakout success with the country house mystery ''Weekend at Thrackley'' earlier the same y ...

'' (1934) *

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

, “Swan Song” (1934) *

Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Det ...

, ''

Enter a Murderer ''Enter a Murderer'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the second novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1935. The novel is the first of the theatrical novels for which Marsh was to become famous, taking its title ...

'' (1935) *

Noel Streatfeild Mary Noel Streatfeild OBE (24 December 1895 –11 September 1986) was an English author, best known for children's books including the "Shoes" books, which were not a series (though some books made references to others). Random House, the ...

, ''

Ballet Shoes A ballet shoe, or ballet slipper, is a lightweight shoe designed specifically for ballet dancing. It may be made from soft leather, canvas, or satin, and has flexible, thin full or split soles. Traditionally, women wear pink shoes and men wear wh ...

'' (1936) *

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

, '' Theatrical Novel'' (1930s, published 1965) *

Klaus Mann Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of Thomas Mann, a nephew of Heinrich Mann and brother of Erika Mann, with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship, and Golo ...

, '' Mephisto'' (1936) *

, ''

Vintage Murder ''Vintage Murder'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the fifth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1937. Based in New Zealand, the plot centres on a travelling theatrical troupe and prominently features Doctor ...

'' (1937) *

Michael Innes John Innes Mackintosh Stewart (30 September 1906 – 12 November 1994) was a Scottish novelist and academic. He is equally well known for the works of literary criticism and contemporary novels published under his real name and for the cri ...

, '' Hamlet, Revenge!'' (1937) *

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

, ''

Theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

'' (1937) * Margery Allingham, '' Dancers in Mourning'' (1937) * J. B. Priestley, ''Birmanpool'' (1939, unpublished) *

, ''

Overture to Death ''Overture to Death'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the eighth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1939. The plot concerns a murder during an amateur theatrical performance in a Dorset village, which Alleyn ...

'' (1939) *

Dorothy L. Sayers Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...

, “Nebuchadnezzar” (1939) * Dorothy L. Sayers, “Blood Sacrifice” (1939) * Geoffrey Trease, '' Cue for Treason'' (1940) *

W. Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

, “Gigolo and Gigolette” (1940; in the collection ''

The Mixture as Before ''The Mixture as Before'' is a collection of 10 short stories by the British writer W. Somerset Maugham, first published by William Heinemann in 1940.Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born i ...

, ''

Between the Acts ''Between the Acts'' is the final novel by Virginia Woolf. It was published shortly after her death in 1941. Although the manuscript had been completed, Woolf had yet to make final revisions. The book describes the mounting, performance, and a ...

'' (1941) *

Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – April 26, 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper and vedette famous for her striptease act. Also an actress, author, and playwright, her 1957 memoir was adapted into ...

, ''

The G-String Murders ''The G-String Murders'' is a 1941 detective novel written by American burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. There have been claims made that the novel was written by Mystery fiction, mystery writer Craig Rice (author), Craig Rice, but others have s ...

'' (1941) * Frances Lockridge and Richard Lockridge, ''Death on the Aisle'' (1942) *

, ''

Curtain Up ''Curtain Up'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Ralph Smart and starring Robert Morley, Margaret Rutherford and Kay Kendall. Written by Jack Davies and Michael Pertwee it is based on the play ''On Monday Next'' by Philip King. It w ...

'' (1944) * James Thurber, “The Macbeth Murder Mystery” (1945) * Ngaio Marsh, “I Can Find My Way Out” (1946) * Ngaio Marsh, '' Final Curtain'' (1947) * J. B. Priestley, ''

Jenny Villiers ''Jenny Villiers: A Story of the Theatre'' is a short novel by J. B. Priestley, first published in 1947. A successful but dispirited playwright is supervising the rehearsals of his new play, ''The Glass Door'', at an old theatre in North Englan ...

'' (1947) *

Christianna Brand Mary Christianna Lewis (née Milne; 17 December 1907 – 11 March 1988), known professionally as Christianna Brand, was a British crime writer and children's author born in British Malaya. Biography Christianna Brand was born Mary Christi ...

, '' Death of Jezebel'' (1948) *

Antonia Forest Antonia Forest (26 May 1915 – 28 November 2003) was the pseudonym of Patricia Giulia Caulfield Kate Rubinstein, an English writer of children's novels. She is known for the Marlow series. Life Forest was born to part Russian-Jewish and Iri ...

, '' Autumn Term'' (1948) *

Rumer Godden Margaret Rumer Godden (10 December 1907 – 8 November 1998) was an English author of more than 60 fiction and non-fiction books. Nine of her works have been made into films, most notably ''Black Narcissus'' in 1947 and '' The River'' in ...

, ''A Candle for St Jude'' (1948) *

Mary Orr Mary Caswell Orr (December 21, 1910 – September 22, 2006) was an American actress and author whose short story "The Wisdom of Eve", published in the May 1946 issue of ''Cosmopolitan'', was the basis of the Academy Award-winning film ''A ...

, “The Wisdom of Eve” (1950) *

Robertson Davies William Robertson Davies (28 August 1913 – 2 December 1995) was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best known and most popular authors and one of its most distinguished " men of letters" ...

, ''

Tempest-tost ''Tempest-Tost'', published in 1951 by Clarke Irwin, is the first novel in '' The Salterton Trilogy'' by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies. The other two novels are ''Leaven of Malice'' (1954) and '' A Mixture of Frailties'' (1958). The series ...

'' (1951) * P. G. Wodehouse, ''

Barmy in Wonderland ''Barmy in Wonderland'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United Kingdom on 21 April 1952 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 8 May 1952 by Doubleday & Company, New York, under the title ''Angel Cake''. ...

'' (1952) *

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

, “Star Quality” (1951) * Ngaio Marsh, ''

Opening Night A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...

'' (1951) * Antonia White, ''The Sugar House'' (1952) * Yukio Mishima, “Onnagata” (1953) *

Herman Wouk Herman Wouk ( ; May 27, 1915 – May 17, 2019) was an American author best known for historical fiction such as ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1951) for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. His other major works include ''The Winds of War'' and ' ...

, '' Marjorie Morningstar'' (1955) * Ngaio Marsh, ''

Off With His Head ''Off with His Head'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the nineteenth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn. It was first published in the USA (by Little, Brown of Boston) in 1956, under the title ''Death of a Fool'', and in the UK (by Colli ...

'' (1957) *

Karen Blixen Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (born Dinesen; 17 April 1885 – 7 September 1962) was a Danish author who wrote works in Danish and English. She is also known under her pen names Isak Dinesen, used in English-speaking countrie ...

, “Tempests” (1958) * Gunter Grass, '' The Tin Drum'' (1959) *

Elizabeth Jane Howard Elizabeth Jane Howard, Lady Amis (26 March 1923 – 2 January 2014), was an English novelist, author of 12 novels including the best-selling series ''The'' ''Cazalet Chronicles''. Early life Howard's parents were timber-merchant Major David L ...

, ''The Sea Change'' (1959) * Mary Renault, ''

The Mask of Apollo ''The Mask of Apollo'' is a historical novel written by Mary Renault. Set in the ancient Greek world during the 4th century BC, the novel is written as the first-person narrative of a fictional character, Nikeratos (or 'Niko'), an actor. Through ...

'' (1966) * Ngaio Marsh, ''

False Scent A false scent or false trail is an incorrect scent which may mislead an animal which hunts by smell, especially a hound. This may be the result of deliberate interference by a hunt saboteur or it may be a form of control by the master. Aniseed, a ...

'' (1960) * Richard Yates, ''

Revolutionary Road ''Revolutionary Road'' is American author Richard Yates's debut novel about 1950s suburban life in the East Coast. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1962, along with ''Catch-22'' and ''The Moviegoer''. When published by Atlantic ...

'' (1961) *

John le Carre John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

, ''

Call for the Dead ''Call for the Dead'' is John le Carré's first novel, published in 1961. It introduces George Smiley, the most famous of le Carré's recurring characters, in a story about East German spies inside Great Britain. It also introduces a fiction ...

'' (1961) *

Margaret Drabble Dame Margaret Drabble, Lady Holroyd, (born 5 June 1939) is an English biographer, novelist and short story writer. Drabble's books include '' The Millstone'' (1965), which won the following year's John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize, and ''Jer ...

, ''

The Garrick Year ''The Garrick Year'' is the second novel by British novelist Margaret Drabble, first published in 1964. It is a first-person account of Emma, a London wife and mother examining the fraught bits of her marriage and an affair. Development Drabbl ...

'' (1964) *

Dodie Smith Dorothy Gladys "Dodie" Smith (3 May 1896 – 24 November 1990) was an English novelist and playwright. She is best known for writing ''I Capture the Castle'' (1948) and the children's novel ''The Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1956). Other works i ...

, ''The Town in Bloom'' (1965) * J. B. Priestley, ''

Lost Empires ''Lost Empires'' is a 1986 television miniseries adaptation of J. B. Priestley's 1965 novel of the same name and starred Colin Firth, John Castle and Laurence Olivier. Produced by Granada Television, it was shown as a serial, and premiered o ...

'' (1965) *

Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright, and chess expert. With writers such as Robert ...

, "Four Ghosts in Hamlet" (1965) * Ngaio Marsh, '' Death at the Dolphin'' (1967) * Angela Carter, ''

The Magic Toyshop ''The Magic Toyshop'' (1967) is a British novel by Angela Carter. It follows the development of the heroine, Melanie, as she becomes aware of herself, her environment, and her own Female sexuality, sexuality. Plot summary The novel starts wit ...

'' (1967) *

Michael Blakemore Michael Howell Blakemore OBE, AO (born 18 June 1928) is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director who has also made a handful of films. A former Associate Director of the National Theatre, in 2000 he became the only individual to win T ...

, ''Next Season'' (1968) *

Doris Lessing Doris May Lessing (; 22 October 1919 – 17 November 2013) was a British-Zimbabwean novelist. She was born to British parents in Iran, where she lived until 1925. Her family then moved to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), where she remain ...

, ''The Summer Before the Dark'' (1973) * Angela Carter, “The Loves of Lady Purple” (1974) *

Harry Secombe Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...

, '' Twice Brightly'' (1974) * Simon Brett, ''Cast, In Order of Disappearance'' (1975) *

Ian McEwan Ian Russell McEwan, (born 21 June 1948) is an English novelist and screenwriter. In 2008, ''The Times'' featured him on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945" and ''The Daily Telegraph'' ranked him number 19 in its list of th ...

, “Cocker at the Theatre” (1975) *

, '' World of Wonders'' (1975) *

Vance Bourjaily Vance Nye Bourjaily (September 17, 1922 – August 31, 2010) was an American novelist, playwright, journalist, creative writing teacher, and essayist.T. Rees Shapirofrom ''The Washington Post'', September 4, 2010. Life Bourjaily was born in Clev ...

, ''Now Playing at Canterbury'' (1976) * Agatha Christie, ''

Sleeping Murder ''Sleeping Murder: Miss Marple's Last Case'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in October 1976 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company later in the same year. The UK edit ...

'' (1976) *

Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature. She was best known for her series of novels ''The Vampire Chronicles''. B ...

, '' Interview with the Vampire'' (1976) *

A. S. Byatt Dame Antonia Susan Duffy ( Drabble; born 24 August 1936), known professionally by her former marriage name as A. S. Byatt ( ), is an English critic, novelist, poet and short story writer. Her books have been widely translated, into more than t ...

, ''

The Virgin in the Garden ''The Virgin in the Garden'' is a 1978 realist novel by English novelist A. S. Byatt. Set during the same year as the coronation of Elizabeth II, the novel revolves around a play about Elizabeth I of England. The novel features a strong use of ...

'' (1978) * Iris Murdoch, ''

The Sea, The Sea ''The Sea, the Sea'' is a novel by Iris Murdoch. Published in 1978, it was her nineteenth novel. It won the 1978 Booker Prize. In 2022, the novel was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, selected to celebr ...

'' (1978) *

John Mortimer Sir John Clifford Mortimer (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author. He is best known for novels about a barrister named Horace Rumpole. Early life Mortimer was born in Hampstead, London, ...

, “Rumpole and the Showfolk” (1979) *

Allan Prior Allan Prior (13 January 1922, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, – 1 June 2006) was an English television scriptwriter and novelist, who wrote over 300 television episodes from the 1950s onwards. He was founder-writer of influential polic ...

, ''Theatre: A Novel'' (1981) *

John Arden John Arden (26 October 1930 – 28 March 2012) was an English playwright who at his death was lauded as "one of the most significant British playwrights of the late 1950s and early 60s". Career Born in Barnsley, son of the manager of a glass f ...

, ''Silence Among the Weapons'' (1982) * Ngaio Marsh, '' Light Thickens'' (1982) * Charlotte Worgitzky, ''Meine ungeborenen Kinder'' (1982) *

P. D. James Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring th ...

, ''

The Skull Beneath the Skin ''The Skull Beneath The Skin'' is a 1982 detective novel by P. D. James, featuring her female private detective Cordelia Gray. The novel is set in a reconstructed Victorian castle on the fictional Courcy Island on the Dorset coast and centers a ...

'' (1982) * Angela Carter, '' Nights at the Circus'' (1984) * Angela Carter, “The Cabinet of Edgar Allan Poe” (1985) *

Beryl Bainbridge Dame Beryl Margaret Bainbridge (21 November 1932 – 2 July 2010) was an English writer from Liverpool. She was primarily known for her works of psychological fiction, often macabre tales set among the English working class. Bainbridge won the ...

, “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie” (1985) * Simon Brett, “The Haunted Actress” (1985) * Linda Barnes, ''Blood Will Have Blood'' (1986) *

Thomas Kenneally Thomas Michael Keneally, AO (born 7 October 1935) is an Australian novelist, playwright, essayist, and actor. He is best known for his non-fiction novel ''Schindler's Ark'', the story of Oskar Schindler's rescue of Jews during the Holocaust, w ...

, ''

The Playmaker ''The Playmaker'' is a novel based in Australia written by the Australian author Thomas Keneally. In 1789 in Sydney Cove, the remotest penal colony of the British Empire, a group of convicts and one of their captors unite to stage a play. Gover ...

'' (1987) * Michael Ondaatje, ''

In the Skin of a Lion ''In the Skin of a Lion'' is a novel by Canadian–Sri Lankan writer Michael Ondaatje. It was first published in 1987 by McClelland and Stewart. The novel fictionalizes the lives of the immigrants who played a large role in the building of the ci ...

'' (1987) *

Normand Chaurette Normand Chaurette (July 9, 1954 – August 31, 2022) was a Canadian playwright, best known as one of the first prominent writers of LGBT-themed plays in Quebec and Canada. Life and career Chaurette's career began in 1976 with ''Rêve d'une nuit ...

, ''Scènes d'enfants'' (1988) * Edna O’Brien, “Dramas” (1989) * Beryl Bainbridge, '' An Awfully Big Adventure'' (1989) * Penelope Fitzgerald, ''

At Freddie's ''At Freddie's'' is a 1982 novel by the British author Penelope Fitzgerald. The last of her novels drawing directly on her personal experiences, it focuses on an august but shabby London stage school for children, ''The'' ''Temple''. Fitzger ...

'' (1989) * John Irving, ''

A Prayer for Owen Meany ''A Prayer for Owen Meany'' is the seventh novel by American writer John Irving. Published in 1989, it tells the story of John Wheelwright and his best friend Owen Meany growing up together in a small New Hampshire town during the 1950s and 1960s. ...

'' (1989) *

Caroline Graham Caroline Graham (born 17 July 1931) is an English playwright, screenwriter and novelist. Early life and education Graham was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire to a working-class family, and attended Nuneaton High School for Girls where her Englis ...

, ''

Death of a Hollow Man Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

'' (1989) *

Harry Mulisch Harry Kurt Victor Mulisch ( ; 29 July 1927 – 30 October 2010) was a Dutch writer. He wrote more than 80 novels, plays, essays, poems, and philosophical reflections. Mulisch's works have been translated into over thirty languages. Along with Wi ...

, ''Last Call'' (1989) *

Jane Gardam Jane Mary Gardam (born 11 July 1928) is an English writer of children's and adult fiction. She also writes reviews for ''The Spectator'' and ''The Telegraph'', and writes for BBC radio. She lives in Kent, Wimbledon, and Yorkshire. She has won nu ...

, “Groundlings” (1989) *

Christopher Stasheff Christopher Stasheff (15 January 1944 – 10 June 2018) was an American science-fiction and fantasy author whose novels include ''The Warlock in Spite of Himself'' (1969) and ''Her Majesty's Wizard'' (1986). He received a bachelor's degree and a ...

, ''A Company of Stars'' (1991) * Angela Carter, “In Pantoland” (1991) * Angela Carter, '' Wise Children'' (1991) * Michael Malone, ''Foolscap, or, The Stages of Love'' (1991) * Rumer Godden, ''Listen to the Nightingale'' (1992) *

Mike Ockrent Michael Robert Ockrent (18 June 1946 – 2 December 1999) was a British stage director, well-known both for his Broadway musicals and smaller niche plays. He was educated at Highgate School. Through directing ''Educating Rita'', '' The Nerd'' an ...

, ''Running Down Broadway'' (1992) *

Ellen Hart Ellen Hart (born August 10, 1949) is the award-winning mystery author of the Jane Lawless and Sophie Greenway series. Born in Maine, she was a professional chef for 14 years. Hart's mysteries include culinary elements similar to those of Diane M ...

, ''Stage Fright'' (1992) * Parnell Hall, ''Actor'' (1993) * Peter Ackroyd, ''

Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem ''Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem'' (published in the United States as ''The Trial of Elizabeth Cree'') is a 1994 novel by the English author Peter Ackroyd. It is a murder mystery framed within a story featuring real historical characters, and ...

'' (1994) * Doris Lessing, ''Love, Again'' (1995) * Barry Unsworth, '' Morality Play'' (1995) * Sarah Waters, ''

Tipping the Velvet ''Tipping the Velvet'' (1998) is a historical novel by Sarah Waters; it is her debut novel. Set in England during the 1890s, it tells a coming of age story about a young woman named Nan who falls in love with a male impersonator, follows her t ...

'' (1998) * Timothy Findley, ''

Spadework ''Spadework'' is a novel by Canadian writer Timothy Findley set in the theater world of Stratford, Ontario. It was first published in Canada by HarperCollins Publishers in 2001. Plot introduction Spadework focuses on the everyday drama of huma ...

'' (2001) * Ian McEwan, '' Atonement'' (2001) *

Edgardo Cozarinsky Edgardo Cozarinsky (; born 1939 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a writer and filmmaker. He is best known for his Spanish-language novel ''Vudú urbano''. Life Cozarinsky was born to an Argentine family of Ukrainian-Jewish descent. His name reflects ...

, ''The Moldavian Pimp'' (2004) *

Robert Goddard Robert Hutchings Goddard (October 5, 1882 – August 10, 1945) was an American engineer, professor, physicist, and inventor who is credited with creating and building the world's first Liquid-propellant rocket, liquid-fueled rocket. ...

, '' Play to the End'' (2004) * David Lodge, '' Author Author'' (2004) *

Anita Nair Anita Nair (born 26 January 1966) is an Indian novelist who writes her books in English. She is best known for her novels '' A Better Man'', ''Mistress'', and '' Lessons in Forgetting''. She has also written poetry, essays, short stories, crime ...

, ''Mistress'' (2005) * Reggie Oliver, "The Skins" (2005) * John Irving, '' Until I Find You'' (2005) * David Nicholls, '' The Understudy'' (2005) *

Caryl Phillips Caryl Phillips (born 13 March 1958) is a Kittitian-British novelist, playwright and essayist. Best known for his novels (for which he has won multiple awards), Phillips is often described as a Black Atlantic writer, since much of his fictional ...

, '' Dancing in the Dark'' (2005) *

Will Eaves Will Eaves (born, 1967) is a British writer, poet and professor at the University of Warwick. Early life Eaves was born in Bath, Somerset. He was educated at Beechen Cliff School before going up to King's College, Cambridge to read English. ...

, ''Nothing to Be Afraid Of'' (2005) *

Kate Atkinson Kate Atkinson may refer to: * Kate Atkinson (actress) (born 1972), Australian actress * Kate Atkinson (writer) Kate Atkinson (born 20 December 1951) is an English writer of novels, plays and short stories. She is known for creating the Jac ...

, '' One Good Turn'' (2006) *

Sally Gardner Sally Gardner is a British children writer and illustrator. She won both the Costa Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal for ''Maggot Moon'' (Hot Key Books, 2012). Under her pseudonym Wray Delaney she has also written adult novels.

, ''

The Red Necklace ''The Red Necklace '' is a young adult historical novel by Sally Gardner, published by Orion in 2007. It is a story of the French Revolution, interwoven with gypsy magic. The audiobook is narrated by Tom Hiddleston. ''The Silver Blade'' (Orion ...

'' (2007) * Patrick Rothfuss, '' Name of the Wind'' (2007) *

Nicola Upson Nicola Jane Upson (born 1970) is a British novelist, known for a series of crime novels featuring a fictional version of Josephine Tey as the heroine and detective. Upson was born in Suffolk, England in 1970, has a bachelor's degree in English fr ...

, ''

An Expert in Murder ''An Expert in Murder'' is a historical crime novel by Nicola Upson, published on March 6, 2008. Plot The novel is set in the London theatres of the 1930s. The book revolves around Josephine Tey, a version of the famous novelist. The story beg ...

'' (2008) * Eleanor Catton, '' The Rehearsal'' (2008) *

Philip Roth Philip Milton Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) was an American novelist and short story writer. Roth's fiction—often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey—is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophicall ...

, ''

The Humbling ''The Humbling'' is a novel by Philip Roth published in the fall of 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is Roth's 30th book and concerns "an aging stage actor whose empty life is altered by a 'counterplot of unusual erotic desire'." Plot Par ...

'' (2009) *

Valerie Martin Valerie Martin (née Metcalf; born March 14, 1948) is an American novelist and short story writer. Her novel ''Property'' (2003) won the Orange Prize for Fiction. In 2012, ''The Observer'' named ''Property'' as one of "The 10 best historical no ...

, ''The Confessions of Edward Day'' (2009) * Nicola Upson, ''Angel with Two Faces'' (2009) * A.S. Byatt, ''

The Children's Book ''The Children's Book'' is a 2009 novel by British writer A. S. Byatt. It follows the adventures of several inter-related families, adults and children, from 1895 through World War I. Loosely based upon the life of children's writer E. Nesbit th ...

'' (2009) * Joseph O'Connor, ''Ghost Light'' (2010) * Kate Atkinson, ''

Started Early, Took My Dog ''Started Early, Took My Dog'' is a 2010 novel by English writer Kate Atkinson named after the Emily Dickinson poem of the same name. It was adapted into an episode of the second season of the British television series ''Case Histories'' in 2013 ...

'' (2010) *

Esther Freud Esther Freud (born 2 May 1963) is a British novelist. Early life and training Born in London, Freud is the daughter of Bernardine Coverley and painter Lucian Freud. She is also a great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and niece of Clement Freud. ...

, ''Lucky Break'' (2010) *

Boris Akunin Boris Akunin (russian: Борис Акунин) is the pen name of Grigori Chkhartishvili (russian: Григорий Шалвович Чхартишвили, Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili; ka, გრიგორი ჩხარტიშვ� ...

, ''All the World’s a Stage'' (2011) * Lyn Gardner, ''Olivia’s First Term'' (2011) * John Irving, ''

In One Person ''In One Person'' is a 2012 novel by American author John Irving, his 13th since 1968. The book was published on May 8, 2012, by Simon & Schuster, and deals with the coming of age of a bisexual man and his coming to grips with his sexual identit ...

'' (2012) * Michelle Magorian, ''Impossible!'' (2014) *

Emily St. John Mandel Emily St. John Mandel (; born 1979) is a Canadian novelist and essayist. She has written six novels, including '' Station Eleven'' (2014) and '' The Glass Hotel'' (2020). ''Station Eleven'', which has been translated into 33 languages, has been ...

, ''

Station Eleven ''Station Eleven'' is a novel by the Canadian writer Emily St. John Mandel. It takes place in the Great Lakes region before and after a fictional swine flu pandemic, known as the "Georgia Flu", has devastated the world, killing most of the popul ...

'' (2014) *

Sadie Jones Sadie Jones (born 1967) is an English writer and novelist best known for her award-winning debut novel, ''The Outcast'' (2008). Early years Jones was raised in London, the daughter of Evan Jones, a Jamaican-born poet and scriptwriter, who worke ...

, ''Fallout'' (2014) * Natalie Haynes, ''Amber Fury'' (2014) *

Margaret Atwood Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...

, ''

Hag-Seed ''Hag-Seed'' is a novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, published in October 2016. A modern retelling of William Shakespeare's '' The Tempest'', the novel was commissioned by Random House as part of its Hogarth Shakespeare series. The novel ...

'' (2016) * Eimear McBride, '' The Lesser Bohemians'' (2016) * Orhan Pamuk, ''The Red-haired Woman'' (2016) *

Susan Choi Susan Choi (born 1969) is an American novelist. Early life and education Choi was born in South Bend, Indiana to a Korean father and a Jewish mother. She attended public schools. When she was nine years old, her parents divorced. She and her m ...

, ''

Trust Exercise ''Trust Exercise'' is a 2019 coming-of-age novel by the American author Susan Choi, published by Henry Holt and Company. Plot Sarah and David are performing art students coming from different socio-economic backgrounds: Sarah lives with her ...

'' (2019) * Thomas Drago, ''Goat Song'' (2020) *

Mona Awad Mona Awad is a Canadian novelist and short-story writer.music.html" ;"title="nowiki/>music">nowiki/>musicplaylist">music">nowiki_>music<_a>.html" ;"title="music.html" ;"title="nowiki/>music">nowiki/>music">music.html" ;"title="no ...

, ''All’s Well'' (2021)

References

{{Reflist Literary genres

Fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...

List of novels and stories about theatre

Further reading

References