Modern Theatre Guides – serie

"Look Back in Anger" is one of the few works of drama that are indisputably central to British culture in general, and its name is one of the most well-known in postwar cultural history. Its premiere in 1956 sparked off the first 'new wave' of kitchen-sink drama and the cultural phenomenon of the Angry Young Man. The play's anti-hero, Jimmy Porter, became the spokesman of a generation. Osborne's play is a key milestone in 'new writing' for British theatre, and the Royal Court - which produced the play - has since become one of the most important new writing theatres in the UK.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the 1956 Royal Court premiere to recent revivals; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.It offers accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English.Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

"Look Back in Anger" is one of the few works of drama that are indisputably central to British culture in general, and its name is one of the most well-known in postwar cultural history. Its premiere in 1956 sparked off the first 'new wave' of kitchen-sink drama and the cultural phenomenon of the Angry Young Man. The play's anti-hero, Jimmy Porter, became the spokesman of a generation. Osborne's play is a key milestone in 'new writing' for British theatre, and the Royal Court - which produced the play - has since become one of the most important new writing theatres in the UK.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the 1956 Royal Court premiere to recent revivals; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.This guide provides accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English.Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

"Blasted" has been labelled as one of the landmark plays of post-war British theatre, achieving its iconic status and, indeed, its notoriety, very quickly. Sarah Kane's suicide in 1999 consolidated a process of singling-out that had begun four years earlier with the 'national outrage' initiated by the media's scandalised response to the premiere of "Blasted". The brutal content of the play resulted in much-quoted hostility from the critics. Academic attention to the play has begun a process of re-evaluation, debating the production and reception of the play and key issues including its status as a classic example of 'in-yer-face' drama.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Blasted", giving students an overview of the play's significance, a brief biography of Sarah Kane and a guide to socio-political background; a detailed analysis of the play's structure, style and characters; an analysis of key production issues and choices; an overview of key productions from the 1995 Royal Court premiere to today; and a chapter exploring possibilities and exercises for practical work on the play.An annotated guide to further reading highlights key secondary material including useful websites.These guides provide accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English. Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

Blasted has been labelled as one of the landmark plays of post-war British theatre, achieving its iconic status and, indeed, its notoriety, very quickly. Sarah Kane's suicide in 1999 consolidated a process of singling-out that had begun four years earlier with the 'national outrage' initiated by the media's scandalised response to the premiere of Blasted. The brutal content of the play resulted in much-quoted hostility from the critics. Academic attention to the play has begun a process of re-evaluation, debating the production and reception of the play and key issues including its status as a classic example of 'in-yer-face' drama. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to Blasted, giving students an overview of the play's significance, a brief biography of Sarah Kane and a guide to socio-political background; a detailed analysis of the play's structure, style and characters; an analysis of key production issues and choices; an overview of key productions from the 1995 Royal Court premiere to today; and a chapter exploring possibilities and exercises for practical work on the play.An annotated guide to further reading highlights key secondary material including useful websites.

A comprehensive critical introduction to the "Closer", giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches."Closer", emerges as one of the most successful plays of the 1990s, and one with a continuing afterlife through the academy award nominated film adaptation in 2004. Although the work of dramatists such as Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill initially attracted the most critical and academic attention, "Closer" had long West End and Broadway runs. The play has since gone on to repeat this success in over 30 other countries.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the 1997 National Theatre premiere to recent productions including the film version; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.Accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English. Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

"Closer", emerges as one of the most successful plays of the 1990s, and one with a continuing afterlife through the academy award nominated film adaptation in 2004. Although the work of dramatists such as Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill initially attracted the most critical and academic attention, "Closer" had long West End and Broadway runs. The play has since gone on to repeat this success in over 30 other countries.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the 1997 National Theatre premiere to recent productions including the film version; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.This title provides accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English.Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

Angels in Americapaveda new way for American theatrein its combination of heightened theatricality and politics.Tony Kushner has emerged as one of the American theatres leading playwrights and productions worldwide have meant the play hasbecome recognised asthemost important American play in decades. With the scope of characters sexual, class and religious affiliations in the play, Angels in Americaoffers a uniquepossibility to discuss the construction of American identity in the late 1980s and 1990s. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play including its structure, style and characters; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the first performances of Millennium Approaches and Perestroika to recent productions and the 2003 HBO adaptation; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.

This book offers an ideal introduction to studying the text in performance and production."Angels in America" paved a new way for American theatre in its combination of heightened theatricality and politics. Tony Kushner has emerged as one of the American theatre's leading playwrights and productions worldwide have meant the play has become recognised as the most important American play in decades. With the scope of characters' sexual, class and religious affiliations, "Angels in America" offers a unique possibility to discuss the construction of American identity in the late 1980s and 1990s.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play including its structure, style and characters; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the first performances of Millennium Approaches and Perestroika to recent productions and the 2003 HBO adaptation; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

Every day, in some part of the world, an Arthur Miller play is performed. In the nearly 60 years since its first production, Pulitzer Prize-winning "Death of a Salesman" has become a classic, a staple of school anthologies of American literature and of acting companies' repertoires. It has received worldwide productions, whether as a study of parent-child relationships, as in its landmark 1976 production directed by Miller in Beijing, or as a critique of Western capitalism and has been filmed once for television and twice for movies. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play's structure, style, characters etc; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the first performances in 1949 to recent productions and film adaptations; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.It offers accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English.Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides include accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

Every day, in some part of the world, an Arthur Miller play is performed.In the nearly 60 years since its first production, the Pulitzer Prizewinning Death of a Salesman has been become a classic, a staple of school anthologies of American literature and of acting companies' repertoires. It has received worldwide productions, whether as a study of parent-child relationships, as in its landmark 1976 production directed by Miller in Beijing, or as a critique of Western capitalism and has been filmed once for television and twice for movies.

Accessible informative critical introduction to Caryl Churchill's classic modern play, "Top Girls".Caryl Churchill is widely considered one of the most innovative playwrights to have emerged in post-war British theatre. Identified as a socialist feminist writer, she is one of the few British women playwrights to have been incorporated into the dramatic canon. "Top Girls" is one of Churchill's most well known and often studied works, using an all female cast to critique bourgeois feminism during the Thatcher era.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Top Girls", giving students an overview of the background and context for the play; detailed analysis of the its structure, style and characters; a practical analysis of key production issues and choices; an overview of the performance history focusing on key productions; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches. It includes new interpretations of the text in the light of Churchill's recent playwriting and intervening shifts in the political landscape.It offers accessible, informative critical introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English.Offering up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays throughout modern drama, the guides includes accounts of performance history, production analysis, screen adaptations and summaries of important critical approaches and debates.

Caryl Churchill is widely considered to be one of the most innovative playwrights to haveemerged in post-war British theatre. Identified as a socialist feminist writer, she is one of the few British women playwrights to have been incorporated into the dramatic canon. Top Girls is one of Churchill's most well known and often studied works, using an all female cast to critique bourgeois feminism during the Thatcher era.

This title offers informative critical introduction to Beckett's "Waiting for Godot", one of the most commonly studied modern plays."Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot" is not only an indisputably important and influential dramatic text - it is also one of the most significant western cultural landmarks of the twentieth century. Originally written in French, the play first amazed and appalled Parisian theatre-goers and critics before receiving a harshly dismissive initial critical response in Britain in 1955. Its influence since then on the international stage has been significant, impacting on generations of actors, directors and audiences.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Waiting for Godot" from the controversial first performances to recent productions."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises.They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This title provides informative critical introduction to Beckett's "Waiting for Godot", one of the most commonly studied modern plays."Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot" is not only an indisputably important and influential dramatic text - it is also one of the most significant western cultural landmarks of the twentieth century. Originally written in French, the play first amazed and appalled Parisian theatre-goers and critics before receiving a harshly dismissive initial critical response in Britain in 1955. Its influence since then on the international stage has been significant, impacting on generations of actors, directors and audiences.This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Waiting for Godot" from the controversial first performances to recent productions."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises.They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This title provides an accessible and informative critical introduction to Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia" - a play commonly studied at undergraduate level.Tom Stoppard is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary British playwrights, a writer who has earned an intriguing mix of both critical and commercial success. "Arcadia" is considered by many critics to be Stoppard's masterpiece, a work that weds his early career love for words and ideas with his later career emphasis on storytelling and emotional engagement.With its engaging alteration between past and present, "Arcadia" offers a comedic and entertaining exploration of chaos theory, entropy, the Second Law of thermodynamics, iterated algorithms, fractals, and other concepts culled the realms of math and science. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students a much-needed overview of the play's background and context including Stoppard's source material as well as full discussion of the text and its performance history to date."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times.Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This is an accessible and informative critical introduction to Tom Stoppard's "Arcadia" - a play commonly studied at undergraduate level.Tom Stoppard is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary British playwrights, a writer who has earned an intriguing mix of both critical and commercial success. "Arcadia" is considered by many critics to be Stoppard's masterpiece, a work that weds his early career love for words and ideas with his later career emphasis on storytelling and emotional engagement.With its engaging alteration between past and present "Arcadia" offers a comedic and entertaining exploration of chaos theory, entropy, the Second Law of thermodynamics, iterated algorithms, fractals, and other concepts culled the realms of math and science. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students a much-needed overview of the play's background and context including Stoppard's source material as well as full discussion of the text and its performance history to date."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times.Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This book presents an accessible, informative and critical introduction to Mamet's modern college classic, "Oleanna". David Mamet is widely considered the voice of contemporary American Theatre. His use of what is taken to be realistic language together with minimalist staging creates a postmodern combination which simultaneously pushes an audience in conflicting directions. The result is that initial audiences for "Oleanna" were aroused to applaud and loudly react to the ending of the play when a male teacher beats a female student. The issues the play raises about political correctness are turned on their head."Oleanna" is a particularly complex play in terms of both form and content and this guide offers a theoretically informed introductory analysis. It provides students with a comprehensive critical introduction to the play and includes new interpretations of the play text in light of Mamet's recent playwriting developments and the intervening shifts in the political landscape."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times.Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This book presents an accessible, informative and critical introduction to Mamet's modern college classic, "Oleanna". David Mamet is widely considered the voice of contemporary American Theatre. His use of what is taken to be realistic language together with minimalist staging creates a postmodern combination which simultaneously pushes an audience in conflicting directions. The result is that initial audiences for "Oleanna" were aroused to applaud and loudly react to the ending of the play when a male teacher beats a female student. The issues the play raises about political correctness are turned on their head."Oleanna" is a particularly complex play in terms of both form and content and this guide offers a theoretically informed introductory analysis. It provides students with a comprehensive critical introduction to the play and includes new interpretations of the play text in light of Mamet's recent playwriting developments and the intervening shifts in the political landscape."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times.Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical workshopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This book provides a guide to the political and historical context of the 1950s and to the African American cultural context.August Wilson is generally acknowledged to be the most respected African American playwright. His cycle of plays spanning the decades of the twentieth century have been profoundly influential in the American theatre, and highly acclaimed. "Fences" represents the decade of the 1950s and when it premiered in 1985 it won the Pulitzer Prize. Set during the beginnings of the civil rights movement, it also concerns generational change and renewal, ending with a celebration of the life of its protagonist, even though it takes place at his funeral. Critics and scholars have lauded August Wilson's work for its universality and its ability, especially in Fences, to transcend racial barriers and earned him the titles of "America's greatest playwright" and "African American Shakespeare."The guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Fences", giving students an overview of the background and context, including detailed analysis of the play, including its structure, style and characters; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the first performances in 1985 to more recent productions; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical work-shopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

This title provides a guide to the political and historical context of the 1950s and to the African American cultural context.August Wilson is generally acknowledged to be the most respected African American playwright. His cycle of plays spanning the decades of the twentieth century have been profoundly influential in the American theatre, and highly acclaimed. "Fences" represents the decade of the 1950s and when it premiered in 1985 it won the Pulitzer Prize. Set during the beginnings of the civil rights movement, it also concerns generational change and renewal, ending with a celebration of the life of its protagonist, even though it takes place at his funeral. Critics and scholars have lauded August Wilson's work for its universality and its ability, especially in "Fences", to transcend racial barriers and earned him the titles of "America's greatest playwright" and "African American Shakespeare."The guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to "Fences", giving students an overview of the background and context including detailed analysis of the play including its structure, style and characters; analysis of key production issues and choices; overview of the performance history from the first performances in 1985 to more recent productions; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches."Continuum Modern Theatre Guides" offer concise, accessible and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book is carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, an in-depth study of the text, an overview of the work's production history including screen adaptations, and practical work-shopping exercises. They also include a timeline and suggestions for further reading which highlight key critical approaches. This will enable students to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

Every day, in some part of the world, an Arthur Miller play is performed.In the nearly 60 years since its first production, the Pulitzer Prizewinning Death of a Salesman has been become a classic, a staple of school anthologies of American literature and of acting companies'' repertoires. It has received worldwide productions, whether as a study of parent-child relationships, as in its landmark 1976 production directed by Miller in Beijing, or as a critique of Western capitalism and has been filmed once for television and twice for movies.

Closer emerged as one of the most successful plays of the 1990s, and one with a continuing afterlife through the academy award nominated film adaptation in 2004. Although the work of dramatists such as Sarah Kane and Mark Ravenhill initially attracted the most critical and academic attention, Patrick Marber's Closer had long West End and Broadway runs. The play has since gone on to repeat this success in over 30 other countries.

Every day, in some part of the world, an Arthur Miller play is performed.In the nearly 60 years since its first production, the Pulitzer Prizewinning Death of a Salesman has been become a classic, a staple of school anthologies of American literature and of acting companies' repertoires. It has received worldwide productions, whether as a study of parent-child relationships, as in its landmark 1976 production directed by Miller in Beijing, or as a critique of Western capitalism and has been filmed once for television and twice for movies.

Look Back in Anger is one of the few works of drama that are indisputably central to British culture in general, and its name is one of the most well-known in postwar cultural history. Its premiere in 1956 sparked off the first "new wave" of kitchen-sink drama and the cultural phenomenon of the angry young man. The play''s anti-hero, Jimmy Porter, became the spokesman of a generation. Osborne''s play is a key milestone in "new writing" for British theatre, and the Royal Court-which produced the play-has since become one of the most important new writing theatres in the UK.

Fences represents the decade of the 1950s, and, when it premiered in 1985, it won the Pulitzer Prize. Set during the beginnings of the civil rights movement, it also concerns generational change and renewal, ending with a celebration of the life of its protagonist, even though it takes place at his funeral. Critics and scholars have lauded August Wilson''s work for its universality and its ability, especially in Fences, to transcend racial barriers and this play helped to earn him the titles of "America''s greatest playwright" and "the African American Shakespeare."

"An impressively complete survey of the play in its cultural, theatrical, historical and political contexts." - David Bradby, co-editor of Contemporary Theatre Review Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is not only an indisputably important and influential dramatic text -it is also one of the most significant western cultural landmarks of the twentieth century. Originally written in French, the play first amazed and appalled Parisian theatre-goers and critics before receiving a harshly dismissive initial critical response in Britain in 1955. Its influence since then on the international stage has been significant, impacting on generations of actors, directors and audiences.

Caryl Churchill is widely considered to be one of the most innovative playwrights to haveemerged in post-war British theatre. Identified as a socialist feminist writer, she is one of the few British women playwrights to have been incorporated into the dramatic canon. Top Girls is one of Churchill''s most well known and often studied works, using an all female cast to critique bourgeois feminism during the Thatcher era.

Blasted has been labelled as one of the landmark plays of post-war British theatre, achieving its iconic status and, indeed, its notoriety, very quickly. Sarah Kane's suicide in 1999 consolidated a process of singling-out that had begun four years earlier with the 'national outrage' initiated by the media's scandalised response to the premiere of Blasted. The brutal content of the play resulted in much-quoted hostility from the critics. Academic attention to the play has begun a process of re-evaluation, debating the production and reception of the play and key issues including its status as a classic example of 'in-yer-face' drama. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to Blasted, giving students an overview of the play's significance, a brief biography of Sarah Kane and a guide to socio-political background; a detailed analysis of the play's structure, style and characters; an analysis of key production issues and choices; an overview of key productions from the 1995 Royal Court premiere to today; and a chapter exploring possibilities and exercises for practical work on the play. An annotated guide to further reading highlights key secondary material including useful websites.

Angels in America paved a new way for American theatre in its combination of heightened theatricality and politics. Tony Kushner has emerged as one of the American theatre's leading playwrights and productions worldwide have meant that the play has been recognized as the most important American play in decades. With the scope of the characters' sexual, class and religious affiliations in the play, Angels in America offers a unique possibility to discuss the construction of American identity in the late 1980s and 1990s. This guide provides a comprehensive critical introduction to the play, giving students an overview of the background and context; detailed analysis of the play including its structure, style and characters; analysis of key production issues and choices; an overview of the performance history from the first performances of Millennium Approaches and Perestroika to recent productions and the 2003 HBO adaptation; and an annotated guide to further reading highlighting key critical approaches.