The companion to the play-house, or, An historical account of all the dramatic writers (and their works) that have appeared in Great Britain and Ireland : from the commencement of our theatrical exhibitions, down to the present year 1764 / composed in the form of a dictionary, for the more readily turning to any particular author, or performance ; in two volumes ...
Published anonymously. Attributed to David Erskine Baker in the English short title catalogue.
A second edition (1782) and a third (1812) were issued under title: Biographia dramatica.
Text in double columns.
Head- and tail-pieces; intials.
Collation: volume I. A⁶ b-c⁶ d⁶ (-D6) B-2E⁶ (leaf 2E6 blank); volume II. pi1 A-2H⁶ 2I⁴ (leaf 2I4 blank).
English short title catalogue T77488
Contents:
Volume I. Contains, a critical and historical account of every tragedy, comedy, farce, &c. in the English language. The respective merits of each piece ; and of the actors who performed the principal characters, are particularly examined and pointed out -- Volume II. Contains, the lives and productions of every dramatic writer for the English or Irish theatres, including not only all those memoirs that have been formerly written, but also a great number of new lives and curious anecdotes never before communicated to the public. Also the lives of our most celebrated actors, who were likewise authors of any theatrical composition from Shakespeare and Johnson, down to the present times
