This work investigates the historical trajectory of English-Canadian theatre, examining the transition from a reliance on foreign imports to the establishment of a distinct, indigenous dramatic tradition. The authors, L.W. Conolly and Eugene Benson, leverage their extensive expertise as editors of the Oxford Companion to Canadian Theatre to synthesize this complex history. They provide a structured analysis that balances the influence of nineteenth-century touring companies with the twentieth-century emergence of homegrown playwrights and institutions.

Experts recognize this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the evolution of Canadian performing arts. Readers frequently note the clarity of the prose, which makes a dense historical subject accessible to a broad audience.