Dimensions
135 x 216 x 19mm
In recent years British theatre has seen a renaissance in playwriting that has been accompanied by a proliferation of awards, new writing groups and a ceaseless quest for fresh, authentic voices that will ensure the vitality and relevance of theatre in the twenty-first century. Rewriting the Nation will prove invaluable to anyone wanting a better appreciation of why British theatre - at its best - remains one of the most celebrated and vigorous throughout the world. The book opens with a definition of 'new writing' and a study of the leading theatres, such as the Royal Court, the Traverse, the Bush, the Hampstead and the National theatres, together with the London fringe and the work of touring companies. In the second part, Sierz provides a fascinating survey of the main preoccupations and issues that have characterised new plays in the first decade of the twenty-first century. He argues that while economic, political and social change continued apace - generating anxiety and uncertainty in the population - theatre has been able to articulate not only those anxieties and uncertainties but also to offer powerful images of the nation. Plays have addressed issues such as foreign policy and war overseas, economic boom and bust, divided communities and questions of identity and race, as well as domestic themes such as family, love, growing up and the fantasies and nightmares of the mind. Just as their work has at times reflected disturbing truths about our national identity, Sierz shows that British playwrights are deeply involved in the project of rewriting the nation.
