Literary History Break with Richard Moore “The Play’s the thing: three great writers: a new look at Alan Bennett, Alan Ayckbourn and Harold Pinter”
Sunday the 18th of February until the morning of Thursday the 22nd of February 2018
The Green Park Hotel, Clunie Bridge Road, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH16 5JY Tel: 01796 473248 www.thegreenpark.co.uk [email protected] “The Play’s the thing: three great writers: a new look at Alan Bennett, Alan Ayckbourn and Harold Pinter”
Following on from the pleasure of Richard’s 2017 course, we shall move a bit more up to date to look at late 20th century drama. Here we shall examine some masterpieces of modern theatre, supported by excerpts from award-winning performances on D.V.D. These performances will feature such star names as Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins, Julie Waters and Alan Bennett himself. There will be plenty of time for discussion and of course we shall end with a crazy course-based quiz. The works covered will be :
Alan Bennett : Single Spies (two one-act plays : An Englishman Abroad and A Question of Attribution”) and Talking Heads Series One and Two (especially "A Chip in the Sugar", "Her Big Chance". "Soldiering On" and "The Hand of God" )
Harold Pinter : The Room (One act play) and The Birthday Party
Alan Ayckbourn : The Norman Conquests and Way Upstream
All the "Talking Heads" will be available at the course on DVD. It is not vital to have read or seen them, but it might help to do so, and ideally to bring copies. It would help if those attending could bring a copy of "The Birthday Party", "Way Upstream" and "The Room". All are easily available in paperback and some may be downloaded from the Internet. "The Norman Conquests" will be available as a DVD but again it would help if those attending had read or seen it. If they could bring a copy, that would also be an asset. The main requirement is to bring a love of the drama and an interest in these ground- breaking and theatrically adept playwrights. What themes do the plays explore? What do they tell us about the society of our own times? How do they treat the macabre, the humour of life and the pain of it? Come and find out in congenial company and relax and learn amid like-minded enthusiasts. Sunday the 18th of February Late 20th Century Drama
So as to make the most of your day, feel free to arrive any time from mid-morning onwards. Complimentary tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available in the main lounges - please just help yourself.
6.00pm. The first organised activity will be a sherry reception in the main lounges. This will give you the chance to meet your hosts from the Green Park, your tutor Richard Moore, as well as your fellow guests.
6.30pm - 8.30pm. A four course dinner will be served in the dining-room, followed by coffee, tea, and shortbread in the lounges.
Monday the 19th of February Late 20th Century Drama
8.30am - 9.45am. A full Scottish breakfast will be served in the dining room.
From 10.00am - morning session Literary History session with Richard
Break for a buffet lunch in the dining room.
From 2.00pm - afternoon session Literary History session with Richard
From 6.00pm. A pre-dinner Sherry reception in the main lounge.
From 6.30pm - 8.30pm. A four course dinner will be served in the dining room, followed by coffee and shortbread in the main lounge. Tuesday the 22nd of February Late 20th Century Drama 8.00am - 9.45am. A full Scottish breakfast will be served in the dining-room. From 10.00am - morning session Literary History session with Richard
Break for a buffet lunch in the dining room.
From 2.00pm - afternoon session Literary History session with Richard From 6.00pm. A pre-dinner sherry reception will be held in the main lounge. From 6.30pm - 8.30pm. A four course dinner will be served in the dining room, followed by coffee and shortbread in the main lounge.
Wednesday the 23rd of February Late 20th Century Drama 8.00am - 9.45am. A full Scottish breakfast will be served in the dining-room.
From 10.00am - morning session Literary History session with Richard
Break for a buffet lunch in the dining room.
From 2.00pm - afternoon session Literary History session with Richard
At 6.00pm. Richard will bring the Literary history Break to a close by hosting a bucks-fizz reception in the main lounges.
From 6.30pm - 8.30pm. A four course dinner will be served in the dining room, followed by coffee and shortbread in the main lounge. Thursday the 24th of February Late 20th Century Drama
8.00am - 9.45am. A full Scottish breakfast will be served in the dining room.
The McMenemie Family and everyone at the Green Park hope that you will have enjoyed your stay with us, and that you have a safe journey home.
The cost of the 2018 Four Day Literary History Break is £422.00 per person.
Personal History Richard Moore
M.A. Degree in English Literature (Cambridge University)
Research Diploma in English Literature, History and Society (Cantab.) - Distinction.
P.G.C.E. (Distinction) - Southampton University.
Doctorate in Victorian Fiction and Theatre - University of Wales. (Special Award for work on W.S. Gilbert and The Theatre of the 1890’s.)
Richard is a lecturer and creative writer, the author of over eighty plays and a number of musical works. He gained his first degree at the University of Cambridge and taught in schools for many years. In 1989 he gained his Ph.D. taking as his subject Christianity and Paganism in Victorian Fiction. He then went on to work as a Deputy Head and Head of English at Queen Ethelburga’s College, near York, before moving in 2000 into University teaching. Since January 2000 Richard has been a lecturer (part-time) at Newcastle and Sunderland Universities and has run various short courses for adults, particularly at Higham Hall in the Lake District. He is now running a number of private classes in Newcastle and teaching for an adult education organisation called New Explore. His particular academic interests are American Drama, the works of Shakespeare and Jane Austen, Irish Literature, Victorian Music Theatre and the 20th century Theatre of the Absurd. In addition to literature and music, Richard is particularly keen on Nature Conservation and Ecology work. His relaxations are exploring the byways of history and the endless reading of Golden Age detective novels.
* * * * * * * * Literary History Break Late 20th Century Drama From Sunday the 18th of February until the morning of Thursday the 22nd of February 2018
This amount includes the entire package as described in this programme, and there is no supplementary charge for single accommodation. If you wish to travel to Pitlochry by coach or rail, we will arrange for complimentary transport between Pitlochry Station and the Green Park, for both your day of arrival and your day of departure. NAME ______
ADDRESS ______
POSTCODE ______TEL. NUMBER ______
TYPE OF ROOM / ROOMS REQUIRED
TWIN ______DOUBLE ______SINGLE ______
Please reserve the above accommodation in my name.
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The cost of the 2018 Four Day Literary History Break is £422.00 per person.
Guests wanting to stay any extra nights before or after the Literary History Break would be charged at our low season rate of £95.00, per person per night for dinner bed and breakfast.