Becket

Description

Anouilh's classic historical tale of conflict between church and state, in a major new translation by Frederic and Stephen Raphael In Becket, Anouilh presents the history of England under Henry II as if it was France under German occupation. As Henry's long-time political playmate, Thomas's elevation to Archbishop of Canterbury forces him to sacrifice the love of his leader for his newfound love of the church:"If I become archbishop I shall cease to be your friend". Becket was first produced at the Theatre Montparnasse in 1959. "Witty, intelligent, full of repartee and irreverence...it can hold an audience spellbound" (Financial Times) This new translation is published to tie in with a production of the play opening at London's Theatre Royal, Haymarket.

Jean Anouilh was born in Bordeaux in 1910 and lived for many years in Switzerland until his death in 1987. His best-known plays are: Restless Heart (1934), Dinner with the Family, Traveller without Lu ggage (both 1937) Thieves' Carnival (1938), Leocadia (1939), Point of Departure (Eurydice) (1941), A ntigone (1944), the Rehearsal (1950), The Waltz of the Toreadors (1952), The Lark (1953), Poor Bitos (1956), The Director of the Opera (1973). Methuen publishes two volumes of his collected plays. Fre deric Raphael has written nineteen novels as well as various translations, essays and radio plays.