Seeing the West Indies as a single entity, this study encapsulates 400 years of parallel development throughout the English-speaking Caribbean. The author discusses the earliest forms of theatre in the region, the first regional writing and the pioneering movements of the early 20th century. Most of the book is devoted to current trends in West Indian theatre, which the author has divided into five streams: theatre of realism, popular drama, total theatre, theatre of ritual and the classical theatre of Nobel laureate Derek Walcott. Each stream is treated in general and in greater detail through the work of one or more representative playwrights, such as Errol John, Earl Lovelace, Dennis Scott and Trevor Rhone. In addition, there is a chapter on black British theatre, which focuses on the playwrights Edgar White, Mustapha Matura and Caryl Phillips. There is also a comprehensive bibliography of West Indian theatre. The author takes a performance-orientated approach rather than dealing solely with the texts.