Skip to main content

Political Theatre in Britain Since the 1960s

  • Chapter
Other Theatres

Part of the book series: Communications and Culture

Abstract

A major thrust behind political theatre in Britain has always been against the ‘apolitical’ or ‘Establishment’ tone of the plays presented in the West End. The drawing-room settings automatically excluded portrayals of members of the working class except as domestic servants, and the talk which took place within these rooms steered clear of political controversies — a policy induced by both the Lord Chamberlain and his Examiner of Plays, and by the self-censorship of managers who took care not to offend their clientele.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Henry Pelling, A History of British Trade Unionism (London: Penguin, 1976) p. 296.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Catherine Itzin, Stages in the Revolution (London: Eyre Methuen, 1980) p. 12.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Richard Seyd, ‘The Theatre of Red Ladder’, in New Edinburgh Review, no. 30 (August 1975) p. 36.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chris Rawlence, ‘Political Theatre and the Working Class’, in C. Gardner (ed.), Media, Politics and Culture (London: Macmillan, 1979) p. 65.

    Google Scholar 

  5. ‘Red Ladder Now’ in New Theatre Magazine, vol. XII, no. 3, pp. 23–9.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Itzin, op. cit., p. 43.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Interview with David Edgar in Theatre Quarterly, vol. IX, no. 33 (Spring 1979), p. 7.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rawlence, op. cit., p. 66.

    Google Scholar 

  9. David Edgar, ‘Political Theatre’, in Socialist Review, no. 2 (May 1978) p. 37.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Anon, ‘Grant Aid and Political Theatre 1968–77, Part 1’, in Wedge, no. 1 (Summer 1977) p. 6.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Red Ladder, Taking Our Time (London: Pluto, 1979) xiii.

    Google Scholar 

  12. T. Ilott, ‘Tact Together’, in The Leveller no. 22 January 1979, p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rawlence, op. cit., p. 70.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Quoted in Peter Ansorge, ‘The Portable Playwrights’, in Plays and Players (February 1972) p. 20.

    Google Scholar 

  15. John Lahr, ‘Living Theatre in Shadow Life’ in New Society (16 August 1979) pp. 356–7; interview with

    Google Scholar 

  16. Edward Bond in Theatre Quarterly, vol. II, no. 5 (January–March 1972) p. 12.

    Google Scholar 

  17. John McGrath, A Good Night Out (London: Eyre Methuen, 1981) p. 125.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Seyd, op. cit., p. 42.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Michelene Wandor, ‘Free Collective Bargaining’, in Time Out 30 March–4 April 1979) pp. 14–16.

    Google Scholar 

  20. John McGrath, ‘Boom. An Introduction’ in New Edinburgh Review, no. 30 (August 1975) p. 10.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Catherine Itzin (ed.), Alternative Theatre Handbook 1975–1976 (London: Theatre Quarterly Publications, 1976) pp. 2–3.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Steve Gooch, ‘The Commitment to Socialist Theatre’ in Workers and Writers (publication of papers from conference held at Birmingham University, October 1975) p. 78.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Production Casebook of ‘Trees in the Wind’ at Northcott Theatre, Exeter, in Theatre Quarterly vol. v, no. 19 (September–November) p. 100.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Quoted in Cecil Davies, Theatre for the People: the Story of the Volksbughne (Manchester University Press, 1977) p. 5.

    Google Scholar 

  25. John McGrath, ‘The Year of the Cheviot’, in Plays and Players (February 1974), p. 24.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Copyright information

© 1987 Andrew Davies

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Davies, A. (1987). Political Theatre in Britain Since the 1960s. In: Other Theatres. Communications and Culture. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-18723-2_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics