Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Asian Theatre is an advanced level reference guide which surveys the rich and diverse traditions of classical and contemporary performing arts in Asia. An international team of contributors provide authoritative overviews of dance, musicals, gender, puppetry, make up and costume, gender, colonialism, Shakespeare, and modernity in East, Southeast and South Asia. Offering a cutting edge overview of Asian theatre and performance, the Handbook is an invaluable resource for academics, researchers and students studying this ever-evolving field.