The Politics of Irish Drama: Plays in Context from Boucicault to Friel

Description

The Politics of Irish Drama analyzes some twenty-five of the best-known Irish plays from those of Dion Boucicault to Sebastian Barry, including works by Shaw, Yeats, Lady Gregory and Beckett. The book looks at political contexts for these plays and, in arguing for the outward-directed nature of dramatic representation of Ireland, shows Irish drama to be an international as much as national phenomenon.

'Grene's intelligence, erudition and mostly jargon-free lucidity make this, in fact, the best survey of 20th-century Irish playwriting yet written. It completes so authoritatively, indeed, the job of telling one kind of story about modern Irish drama that it clears the ground for a whole new look at what that story is or might be.' Fintan O'Toole, The Irish Times '... lucid and provocative ... What is rewarding about Grene's elegantly and cleanly written book is his clear-sighted and rigorous analysis ... Grene provides one of the most engaging and challenging overviews of 20th century Irish drama.' Irish Theatre Magazine