BRST 194c: British Theatre Now: Texts and Performances Professor Brian Walsh [email protected]

Yale-in-London, Summer 2014, session 2 Office Hours: at the Mellon Centre, by arrangement Class Meetings: TU/TH 10-12 (except as noted below on the schedule) Performances: evenings as noted below on the schedule in bold

The goal of this course is to come to some assessment of the state of British theatre today. We will attempt this unwieldy task through two forms of immersion: by reading a selection of British plays from the 1990s to the present and by attending a sampling of what is on offer on the London stages in Summer 2014 (including original works and revivals). Our work in class will alternate between textual analysis of the printed drama we read and performance-analysis of the live productions we see. Ideally, we will in the process explore some of the conceptual issues and problems implied by the distinction in these modes of critical engagement. What does it mean to read a play, something originally designed to be experienced in performance? And how do we effectively discuss the live, ephemeral event of a performance after the fact? We will take up these fascinating theoretical (but also practical) questions alongside consideration of the plays’ aesthetics and themes, as well as questions that the plays—printed and performed—convey to us about a range of enduring complex issues and problems, including: coming to terms with the past, dealing with revolution and political change, class consciousness and conflict, race and “Britishness,” the freedoms and dangers afforded by new technologies, the impact of almost unimaginable acts of violence on individuals and communities, the changing (or persistent) gender roles within families and within the halls of power, negotiating the perils of childhood, and, in a broader sense, gauging the presence or seeming absence of political and social commentary in current theatre. We will consider this wide array of issues through a diverse group of plays that range from broad comedy to devastating tragedy. In terms of the performances we will see, we have the opportunity to experience an exciting assortment of venues in the current London theatre landscape, from the glitzy West End to the more fringe Young Vic, from the gritty Royal Court to the stalwart National Theatre, as well as the “time machine” experience promised by the Elizabethan-inspired Shakespeare’s Globe. Writing assignments aim to help you hone traditional skills in literary criticism of play texts, as well as to develop strategies for assessing live theater and for producing more journalistic theater criticism.

Plays we will read: Caryl Churchill, Mad Forrest (1990) Tom Stoppard, Arcadia (1993) Sarah Kane, Blasted (1995) Mark Ravenhill, Shopping and Fucking (1996) Roy Williams, Sing Yer Heart Out for The Lads (2002) Simon Stephens, Harper Regan (2008) Jez Butterworth, Jerusalem (2009) Laura Wade, Posh (2010) Martin Crimp, In the Republic of Happiness (2012)

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Plays we will attend: (Please note: I do not expect you to read texts of the plays that we are attending, but rather to experience them as performances and evaluate them from there. Obviously you are free to read them, where texts exist, if you choose.)

Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus David Hare, Skylight Polly Stenham, Hotel Alan Ayckbourn, A Small Family Business Moira Buffini, Handbagged Jennifer Haley, The Nether David Greig, The Events David and Robert Goodale, Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense David Greig (book), Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (music and lyrics), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Schedule of Readings and Productions

Note: please have read the essays for July 8 before class

TU July 8 Readings: David Pattie, “Theatre Since 1968”*; Jonathan Kalb, “The Death (and Life) of American Theater Criticism: Advice to the Young Critic”*

7:30pm Titus Andronicus: Shakespeare’s Globe

W 9 7:30pm Skylight: Wyndham’s Theatre

TH 10 1:00 pm [Note Time Change] Discussion of Titus Andronicus and Skylight Reading: Dennis Kennedy, “Shakespeare and Cultural Tourism”*

TU 15 NO CLASS MEETING (class meets Friday 10am instead)

TH 17 1:00 pm [Note Time Change] Reading: Tom Stoppard, Arcadia, Caryl Churchill, Mad Forrest

8:00pm Hotel: The Shed at the National Theatre

F 18 Discussion of Hotel Reading: Bob Abelman and Cheryl Kushner, “The Obstacles of Critical Thinking About the Arts,” and “The Critic”*

TU 22 2:00pm [Note Time Change] Reading: Sarah Kane, Blasted, Mark Ravenhill, Shopping and Fucking

7:30pm Handbagged: Vaudeville Theatre

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W 23 7:30pm The Nether: Royal Court Theatre

TH 24 Discussion of Handbagged and The Nether

TU 29 Readings: Roy Williams, Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads, Simon Stephens, Harper Regan

7:45pm The Events: The Young Vic

TH 31 Discussion of The Events [Possible backstage tour of the National Theatre; details TBA]

7:30 A Small Family Business: Olivier Theatre at The National Theatre

TU August 5 Discussion of A Small Family Business Reading: Jez Butterworth, Jerusalem

7:30pm Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense: The Duke of York’s Theatre

TH 7 Discussion of Perfect Nonsense Reading: Laura Wade, Posh

TU 12 Reading: Martin Crimp, In the Republic of Happiness 6-8 page papers due in class

W 13 7:30pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Theatre Royal Drury Lane

TH 14 Discussion of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Reading: Scott McMillin, “Integration and Difference,” and from McMillin, “Narration and Technology”*

Course Requirements:

Class attendance and active participation in discussion; attendance at the required performances; regular informal class presentations; one 6-8 page paper, due in class on August 12; six response papers of 500 words each due throughout the term (see separate handout for instructions on presentations and on preparing the response papers).

Texts:

Texts of all of the plays we are reading are available through Amazon, many in electronic format as well as in print (check other sites for comparison shopping). Let me know ASAP if you have any troubling locating or obtaining copies of the required plays. In addition to the plays we will read, there are a few required essays, as listed above, marked *. All are available as PDF files on the Classes v2 page for this course under resources.

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Play Venues:

Shakespeare’s Globe: 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT Wyndham’s Theatre: Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DA Vaudeville Theatre: 404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH The Royal Court Theatre: 50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS The National Theatre: Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PX Note: The National is a complex of theatres, including the Olivier (A Small Family Business) and The Shed (Hotel) The Young Vic: 66 The Cut, London, SE1 8LZ The Duke of York’s Theatre: 104 St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4BG Theatre Royal Drury Lane: Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF

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