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Essays on Irish theatre in the second half of the twentieth century
With such plays as The Beauty Queen (1996), The Cripple of Inishmaan (1997), The Lonesome West (1997), A Skull in Connemara (1997), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (2001), and The Pillowman (2003) Martin McDonagh has made a huge reputation for himself in ternationally, winning multiple awards for his work and enjoying universal critical acclaim. Most recently, he won an Oscar for his short film Six Shooter (2006). This collection of essays is a vital and significant response to the many challenges set by McDonagh for those involved in the production and reception of his work. The volume brings together critics and commentators from around the world, who assess the work from a diverse range of often provocative approaches. What is not surprising is the focus and commitment of the engagement, given the controversial and st Whether for or against, this is an essential read for all who wish to enter the complex debate about the Theatre of Martin McDonagh.
"This is the first collection of articles to be published on the theatre of Marina Carr, a major contemporary Irish playwright whose work is highly acclaimed in Ireland and internationally for its poetic energy and its remarkable theatrical imagination." "These essays examine Carr's highly original voice, and place her plays in the context of current theatre in Ireland and abroad. They raise lively debate on contemporary representation of 'Irishness' on the stage, on the current state of Irish theatre, on the impact of female authorship on the canon of Irish theatre, and on Carr's portrayal of characters who are fundamentally at odds with the world around them."--BOOK JACKET.
Seán Keating in Context: Responses to Culture and Politics in Post-Civil War Ireland offers, for the first time, a comprehensive compilation and contextual analysis of Keating's articles and broadcasts between 1924 and1972. The introduction to the book examines the context of his thoughts on culture, politics, and economics. Moreover, given the present economic conditions in Ireland and further afield, the content of Keating's articles and broadcasts is prophetic, poignant, and amusing. The book is a precursor to the author's forthcoming full-scale monograph on the artist.
One of Ireland's greatest collections of stories and poems, The Dialogue of the Ancients of Ireland is a new translation by Maurice Harmon of the 12th century Acallam na Senorach. Retold in a modern idiom, the Dialogue is an extraordinary account of journeys to the four provinces by St Patrick and the pagan Cailte, one of the surviving Fian. Within the frame story are over 200 other stories reflecting many genres - wonder tales, sea journeys, romances, stories of revenge, tales of monsters and magic. The poems are equally varied - lyrics, nature poems, eulogies, prophecies, laments, genealogical poems. After the Tain Bo Cuailnge, the Acallam is the largest surviving prose work in Old and Middle Irish
Essays on contemporary Irish theatre
Benjamin Dwyer's Britten and the Guitar: Critical Perspectives for Performers is the first complete study of the guitar works of Benjamin Britten. This book offers more than an objective analytical study of these compositions. Dwyer draws upon his expertise as a classical guitarist, composer and musicologist to deliver a multi-lensed examination of this music providing broad contexts and unique insights. Dwyer not only explores the intricate relationship between Britten, his life-long partner, the tenor Peter Pears, and the guitarist Julian Bream, for whom all the guitar works were written, but goes further in situating Renaissance composer and lutenist John Dowland as a central and inspirat...
Essays on comedy in contemporary Irish theatre
Since the late 1970s there has been a marked internationalization of Irish drama, with individual plays, playwrights, and theatrical companies establishing newly global reputations. This book reflects upon these developments, drawing together leading scholars and playwrights to consider the consequences that arise when Irish theatre travels abroad. Essays discuss some of Ireland's major theatre companies - Druid, the Abbey Theatre, Rough Magic, Blue Raincoat, Field Day and others - while also exploring the presence of Irish drama in the UK, the USA, Germany, and throughout Ireland. The volume also presents the views of key playwrights, featuring essays by Elizabeth Kuti and Ursula Rani Sarma, and including a new interview with Enda Walsh.
"This book is a timely reminder of how theatre can not just entertain, but enlighten and transform us too. The five plays it collects are wonderfully theatrical, moving fluidly from absurdism to tragedy, and from satire to the darkly comic. The translators give us versions that will stimulate and delight readers. performers and audiences. And by giving voice to the 'forgotten playwrights of Central Europe', they also deeply enrich our understanding of the relationship between art, ethics and politics in Europe - both in the past and the present."--BOOK JACKET.