Studies in International Performance This book examines the various ways in which national theatres have formed and evolved over time, and the different functions they have acquired depending on the nature of the political regimes and cultural circumstances in which they have been situated. It also highlights the difficulties these institutions encounter today, in an environment where nationalism and national identity are increasingly contested by global, transnational, regional, pluralist and local agendas, and where economic forces create conflicting demands in a competitive marketplace.