Lecturer
Cultural Historian
Lecturer
John is a well-established and popular public speaker, informative and enthuasiastic for general interest groups, authoritative and forensic in university lecturing. He is an Accredited Lecturer of The Arts Society, and has given talks for, among others, ENO, the Garsington and Glyndebourne festivals, BBC radio and the Royal Opera House (for whom he worked for 20 years).
Writer
Cultural Historian
Lecturer
John's writing has ranged from programme articles for interested non-specialists (for the ROH, ENO, Salzburg Festivals and others) right through to academic research, such as his groundbreaking PhD, chapters and articles in authoritative books, and peer-reviewed journal articles . His book on Andrew Lloyd Webber (Yale UP) is a core reference work on the repertory.
Cultural Historian
Cultural Historian
Cultural Historian
John has been fascinated by music and the stage all his life. He is a leading expert in British musical theatre (the subject of his PhD). He is especially known for exploring musicals in the light of society and culture to reveal what makes them so appealing, enduring and important. John has written widely on opera, and worked for the Royal Opera House for two decades.
New Book
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK
Reviewing the Situation
The British Musical from Noël Coward to Lionel Bart
by John Snelson
from Methuen Drama
Reviewing the Situation: The British Musical from Noël Coward to Lionel Bart: John Snelson: Methuen Drama (bloomsbury.com)
A new study of the British musical
The British musical in its formative years has appeared in strikingly different guises: from the lasting hits of Oliver!, and Me and My Girl, to the successes of The Dancing Years, Bless the Bride and Expresso Bongo.
This authoritative study traces what made these shows successes in the West End and how their qualities define a uniquely British interpretation of the genre. Cultural, sociological and political influences entwine with close reading of the dramatic and musical elements of this repertory to reveal a fascinating web of connections and contrasts between the times, the shows and the people who made them.
Through detailed case studies, such as of The Boy Friend and Bitter Sweet, the rich individuality of each West End work is spotlighted, posing vital questions and intriguing answers as to what a British musical can be. Interdisciplinary in nature, this study brings together all the core materials to discover this period in the story of the British musical. Reviewing the Situation is insightful and lively, an invaluable resource for students and scholars of musical theatre and all those theatregoers drawn to the power of these classic British shows.
'An eloquently written and rigorously researched academic book... A hugely valuable resource for students and academics.' Musicals Magazine
Order from Methuen Drama
Paperback published April 2025