‘Can old forms be reinvigorated?’ radical populism and new writing in British theatre today

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Notes

Burke notes: ‘The play is named after a street in the village of Lumphinnans in West Fife which was a hotbed of communism’ and is an account of what happened ‘to leftwing politics in the wake of globalisation’, Gagarin Way (London: Faber, 2001), p. iv.

John McGrath, A Good Night Out: Popular Theatre–Audience, Class and Form (London: Nick Hern, 1996), 2nd edn, p. 11.

Red Room, ‘Going Public: First Questions/Provocations’, leaflet, February 2003.

All quotations from the following interviews: Paul Sirett, writer and former literary manager of the Royal Shakespeare Company: 29 July 2003; Roxana Silbert, artistic director of Paines Plough new writing company, formerly literary manager of the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh: 5 August 2003; Graham Whybrow, literary manager of the Royal Court: 6 August 2003; John Tiffany, literary manager of the National Theatre of Scotland, formerly of Paines Plough: 12 August 2003; Jack Bradley, literary manager of the National Theatre: 29 August 2003; Lisa Goldman, artistic director of the Red Room: 7 September 2003; Emma Schad, founder member of Artists Against The War: 18 September 2003; Jeanie O'Hare, literary manager of the RSC, formerly of the Hampstead Theatre: 26 September 2003; Nicola Wilson, former literary manager of the Bush Theatre: 1 October 2003; Nina Steiger, literary manager of the Soho Theatre: 2 October 2003.

Fiachra Gibbons, ‘Fringe Favourites Take Aim at Politics’, Guardian (7 August 2003), and Johann Hari, ‘The Left Isn't Always Right’, Independent (21 August 2003).

Quoted in Brian Logan, ‘Northern Exposure’, Guardian (7 August 2003).

All articles from the Guardian: Gregory Burke, ‘Funny Peculiar’ (12 April 2003); Michael Wynne, ‘Humour Me’ (3 May 2003); Naomi Wallace, ‘Strange Times’ (29 March 2003); Pam Gems, ‘Not in Their Name’ (17 May 2003); David Hare ‘All Back to the Canteen’ (24 May 2003); David Edgar, ‘Secret Lives’ (19 April 2003); Biyi Bandele, ‘Read Between the Signs’ (26 April 2003); David Greig, ‘A Tyrant for All Time’ (28 April 2003); Kwame Kwei-Armah, ‘Primary Colours’ (10 May 2003).

For example, Lisa Goldman and Joyce McMillan, ‘Staging our protests’, Guardian (2 August 2003); ‘Political Theatre Special’, Front Row, BBC Radio 4, 21 April 2003; and ‘Debate: Political Theatre’, TheatreVoice website, http://www.theatrevoice.com/the_archive/, 26 September 2003.