The Methuen Drama Book of Plays from the Sixties:

The Methuen Drama Book of Plays from the Sixties: "Roots", "Serjeant Musgrave's Dance", "Loot", "Early Morning" The "Ruling Class" (Play Anthologies)

by PeterBarnes (Author), Arnold Wesker (Author), JohnArden (Author), JoeOrton (Author), EdwardBond (Author)

Synopsis

Five outstanding plays from the British theatre of the 1960s. This volume contains major works by five of the most important playwrights ot emerge during the late fifties and early sixties. Bold, challenging and iconoclastic, these plays are landmarks of post-war British theatre. Roots by Arnold Wesker focuses on the homecoming of young Beatie Bryant who returns to her family of Norfolk farm workers with stories of her boyfriend Ronnie. Serjeant Musgrave's Dance by John Arden is set in a mining town in the 19th century, with a group of soldiers returned from a colonial war. But when Musgrave is asked to keep the peace with the colliery workers, he decides to do so in a rather unusual way. Loot by Joe Orton is a brilliant parody of the skeleton-in-the-cupboard crime genre, exploding the very notions of English decency, good citizenry and traditional 'positions'. Edward Bond's Early Morning re-imagines the time of Victoria and Albert caught up in a military coup plotted by Disraeli. Peter Barnes' Ruling Class describes the fall out in an aristocratic family after the 14th Earl commits suicide and leaves his estate to a schizophrenic Franciscan friar who is under the illusion that he is Jesus.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 544
Publisher: Methuen Drama
Published: 31 Jan 2008

ISBN 10: 1408105888
ISBN 13: 9781408105887
Book Overview: An outstanding collection of five great plays from the sixties, introduced by Graham Whybrow. Roots: 'The passion of Mr Wesker's theme is matched by the living fire in his writing...its quality is undiminished by the passing years' Bernard Levin Serjeant Musgrave's Dance: A spell-binding, mind-challenging drama that touches greatness Michael Billington, Guardian Loot: Orton is the Oscar Wilde of the Welfare State gentility Observer The Ruling Class: A scorching and savage tragedy, yet its jokes are innumerable Sunday Times

Media Reviews
Roots - 'it has an urgent topicality. Wesker is writing about the freedom of the mind: the lifetime challenge of thinking for yourself and shaking off the prejudices of your class' Sunday Times
Author Bio
Five of the most important playwrights to emerge during the late fifties and early sixties, including John rden, Arnold Wesker, Joe Orton, Edward Bond and Peter Barnes.