This is a full-length study of the renowned French theatre director Ariane Mnouchkine, and her company, the Théâtre du Soleil. Mnouchkine is recognized as one of the first women directors to achieve an international reputation and her productions, spanning from Shakespeare to contemporary drama, have been widely acclaimed as being in the forefront of twentieth-century theatre. Having worked with Mnouchkine's company in 1985, Adrian Kiernander was in a unique position to observe her directorial style and working methods. In this fascinating study, Kiernander analyses the elements which inform Mnouchkine's work as well as the input she has had on modern theatre. The book includes an interview with Mnouchkine, a chronology of her productions and theatre career, and is illustrated with photographs from productions.