British theatre II
III. British theatre in the second half of the 20th century
· since the 50’s and 60’s a generation of brilliant playwrights occurred – it is often called Second renaissance in British drama
· Absurd drama – 50’s and 60’s; lost of ideals, destruction of communication, a man lost in huge, unknown and elaborate world, no purpose for living
Samuel Beckett – Irish author, moved to Paris, his plays are minimalist with everything – scenery, actors …
Waiting for Godot
Harold Pinter
The Birthday party, The Caretaker
· Angry young men – the 60’s; they don’t like upper class, disdain conventions and manners of the upper class as well as the hypocrisy, the playwrights also wanted to express the disappointment of political situation, social problems, hope in Labours
John Osborne – Look Back in Anger
Arnold Whisker – emphases social issues, reflection of bad economic situation
Kitchen, Chicken Soup with Barley, Chips with Everything
· Second wave – mid 60’s; dissatisfaction of the world-wide situation, feeling of a selfdestructiveness of man, people
Edward Bond – Lear, Bingo
Joe Orton – Loot
Tom Stoppard – Russia took often as his theme
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
· Third wave – 70’s to 90’s; comedies but also serious plays
Peter Shaffer – psychology
Amadeus, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Equus
Alan Ayckbourn – comedies about middle class
Norman Conquest
David Hare – doesn’t show Great Britain in positive light
The Map of the World
Michael Frayn – comedies, wit, conversational humour
Noises off
Brian Friel – Irish history, nature
Translations
