This book aims to clarify the different theatre traditions and practices in Western Europe from a historical and sociological perspective. The book grew out of a perceived need among theatre scholars who had recognised that, while they understood the theatre system of their own country, they often found it difficult to discover how it compared with other countries. The chapters analyse the basic components and dynamics of theatre systems in seventeen Western European nations in order to elucidate how the systems function in general and how they vary in different cultures.