French théâtre classique, Italian commedia dell'arte, Spanish comedias from the Golden Age: By the late seventeenth century, European dramatic literature had fragmented into a variety of different forms. But how did this diversity arise? While its causes have long been debated, a holistic, data-driven account of the phenomenon is still missing. Luca Giovannini contributes to filling this gap by analysing hundreds of plays from 1561 to 1710 through computational methods. By revelating structural patterns that escaped traditional readings, his study provides a fresh perspective on how national theatrical traditions emerged and diverged across early modern European stages.