In the first exhaustive history of the origins of dramaturgs and literary managers--people who act as advisers and play-doctors at today's theatres, Mary Luckhurst examines the major theorists and practitioners, arguing that Brecht, Granville Barker and Tynan have central roles in this history. Contentious figures, often accused of sinister intent, the numbers of dramaturgs have multiplied considerably in the last decades. This study inquires as to the political and cultural agendas behind this revolution, and whether dramaturgs are mentors or censors.