The Curtain Raised: Five One-act Plays is designed to introduce the students of BA II (English) of Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla to drama through its different genres such as comedy, tragedy, and problem play. Each of the five plays evokes a different atmosphere and offers variety of themes. An overview of the playwright’s biographic profile along with a brief textual analysis regarding themes and characterization precedes each play, which is followed by annotations and exercises with a view to enhance the critical ability of the students.

Roshan Lal Sharma is Head, Department of English & European Languages in the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala (HP). He has been Fulbright Senior Research Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States (2007-08). His publications
include Som P. Ranchan (co-authored 2012), Shorter Fiction of Raja Rao (2009), Walt Whitman (2000), New Vistas (co-ed. 2004), Under the Spotlight (co-ed. 2002), Mount Karol and Other Poems (2008), Lahar Lahar Bahav aur Anya Kavitayen (2008) and Shirgul Parmar (trans. Into Hindi 2008).

Ajay Khurana is Associate Professor in English at Government Degree College, Arki in District Solan of Himachal Pradesh. He has co-edited Under the Spotlight (2002)and has published research papers in journals of national and international repute. His areas of interest include Australian Literature, Canadian Literature, contemporary world fiction, philosophy (existentialism in particular) and psychology.