HowWasTheShow Blog

London Theatre Walks Website released celebrating Second Edition of the Book



The revised and expanded Second Edition of London Theatre Walks was published in July of 2003 by Applause Books just after I returned from my last London vacation. I enjoyed the first edition tremendously and even received a guided tour of Walk 1 (Shakespeare and the Globe: A trip to Bankside) in December of 2000 by the author himself. What makes a lowly rock pundit like myself eligible for such first class treatment by writer's of one of the most essential current guides to exploring the magical history and present of one of the world's greatest theatre towns? Well, it just so happens that the said author is my own father, Dr. James L. De Young, who was professor of Speech Communications and Theater Arts at Monmouth College for almost 40 years until his retirement last year. Dr. De Young traveled to London more than a dozen times over the years—graciously taking me along on a few occasions—to do research, take notes and photographs and work and re-work the reams of cellulose pulp that finally became the first edition of this book in 1999.

Even visitors to London who didn’t grow up with the Theatre as I did will find plenty of interest in London Theatre Walks. For those with a little shoe leather to spare, these 13 walks will guide you through some of the most fascinating and historic parts of the city, typically starting and dropping you off at well-known London landmarks you may already be familiar with. Adventuresome rock and roll spirits like myself may also discover that these walks can be turned into a sort of pub crawl game, the object of which is to stop for a pint and have bar attendants in each of the many historic pubs referenced along the route of the walks autograph the margins of the book next to the corresponding reference.

The London Theatre Walks website, designed by yours truly, makes its official internet debut on February 13th on the author’s 66th birthday.