For the first time, a photographic facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays is available in one affordable volume. Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies gives actors, directors, and anyone interested in Shakespeare access to the plays as Shakespeare envisioned them. In returning to the original text, actors and directors can find answers to the many problems they find preparing a play of Shakespeare. Included is the introduction to acting from the First Folio and its accompanying acting guide and glossary, making this the most valuable tool for all who love the Bard.

Shakespeare's Four Folios were published between 1623 and 1685. Although 'folio' refers to the large size of the books, it is also a reflection of the standing in which the plays and their author were held. Up until the publication of the First Folio, works of literature had never before been produced in such large and luxurious a format. In each of the folios, the 26 plays are arranged in genres of Comedies, Histories and Tragedies and include introductory notes by the editors, Heming and Condell. Routledge/Thoemmes Press have re-published the Four Folios in their original size and format, as they would have appeared in the 17th Century.