This is a full length study of the renowned French theatre director Ariane Mnouchkine and her company, the Théâtre du Soleil. She was one of the first women to achieve an international reputation in her profession, and she is best known for the innovative nature of her productions. The study is on the significance of her work and that of her company. And it is on the factors that inspired the creative process, ranging from the history of play and schools of acting to the influence of society on the content and form of plays. Subjects include: a case study of 'Sihanouk', the beginnings of the Théâtre du Soleil, collective creation, the school of Shakespeare, and 'the Orient and the feminine'. Included is and interview with Mnouchkine from 1988, plus a chronology of her productions.