J. R. Planche 
Beauty and the Beast – A Fairy Extravaganza in Two Acts – With the Stage Business, Cast of Characters, Relative Positions, Etc. 

'Beauty and the Beast’ is an 1841 play in two acts by J. R. Planche. Based on the 1740 fairy tale by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, this fantastic abridged retelling is perfect for modern stage productions and is not to be missed by fans and lovers of the timeless story. James Robinson Planché (1796 – 1880) was a British antiquary, dramatist, and officer of arms. Over a sixty-year period he produced, collaborated on, or adapted 176 plays over a variety of genres farce, extravaganza, comedy, burletta, opera, and melodrama. Other notable works by this author include: 'An Old Fairy Tale – The Sleeping Beauty – Illustrated by Brothers Dalziel’ (1865), 'Four and Twenty Fairy Tales’ (1858), and 'Madame de Villeneuve’s Original Beauty and the Beast’ (1858). Pook Press celebrates the great 'Golden Age of Illustration’ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration from the 1880s to the 1930s. The collection showcases classic fairy tales, children’s stories, and the work of some of the most celebrated artists, illustrators and authors.