The Twentieth-Century Performance Reader provides a pionnering introduction to all types of performance (dance, drama, music, theatre and live art) through the writings of forty-two practitioners, critics and theorists which together reaffirm performance as a discipline in its own terms. Organised alphabetically, rather than chronologically or according to art form, this reader invites cross-disciplinary comparisons. Each piece is fully supplemented by a contextual summary, detailed cross-references and suggestions for further reading. The editors's introductory essay provides an invaluable analysis of the field, and the definitive bibliography offers an essential reference source.