Theatre And The State In Twentieth-century Ireland

This book presents a political and cultural history of some of Ireland's key national theatre projects from the 1890s to the 1990s. The author discusses the politics of the Irish literary movement at the Abbey Theatre before and after political independence, the role of a state-sponsored theatre for the post-1922 unionist government in Northern Ireland, and the convulsive effects of the Northern Ireland conflict on Irish theatre.

This study presents a political and cultural history of some of Ireland's key national theatre projects from the 1890s to the 1990s. Wide-ranging in coverage, this text includes discussions on: the politics of the Irish literary movement at the Abbey Theatre before and after political independence; the role of a state-sponsored theatre for the post-1922 unionist government in Northern Ireland; and the convulsive effects of the Northern Ireland conflict on Irish theatre. Lionel Pilkington draws on a combination of archival research and critical readings of individual plays, covering works by J.M. Synge, Sean O'Casey, Lennox Robinson, T.C. Murray, George Shiels, Brian Friel, and Frank McGuinness. In its insistence on the details of history, this book should be of value to anyone interested in Irish culture and politics in the 20th century. Review: Pilkington's work is refreshingly revisionist, subtle, and provocative.. -Professor Gearoid O Tuathaigh, National University of Ireland A major redefinition not only of Irish theatre, but of Irish cultural history.. -Luke Gibbons, University of Notre Dame