Author name: nd@nationaldrama.org.uk

Musical theatre is not only entertainment that dominates the prolific stages of Broadway and The West End to community and educational stages but is a distinct performing art genre that has become both a cultural and economic force within society over the last century. Despite women being Broadway’s primary ticket buyers, men still have the systemic privilege and retain most of the power, influence, and notoriety as musical theatre makers. As the predominant creators of musicals, they also control whose stories make it to the stage, and the lens through which those stories are told.

This book locates Harold Pinter’s controversial anti-fascism, overtly political plays not as revolutionary works designed to mobilize the masses, but as cries of moral outrage against the authoritarian forces of oppression.

Displaying on stage the plight of political prisoners facing illegal detainment, brutal interrogation, and torture, Pinter employs an aggressive, graphic style seeking to shock spectators out of their apathy and denial, and encourage awareness of such documented realities of fascist rule. Russell argues that Pinter’s political plays are not propagandistic screeds, but rather reflect a level of quasi-journalistic facticity about the global rise of fascism.

Analysing an expanding body of theatre and performance works, Science Fiction and Contemporary British Theatre examines how the themes and images of science fiction are enabling practitioners to intervene on the most urgent social and political issues of the present moment.

By exploring the genre’s impact on the live theatrical event, the book presents an original and topical interrogation of issues that remain at the heart of the national and global political agenda, including military conflict, social injustice, economic inequality, migration, nationhood, anti-democratic populism, and climate collapse.

This volume captures the theatrical and cultural practice to have come out of Double Edge Theatre, which Stacy Klein founded in 1982. It showcases the company’s dedication to collective artistic creativity, cultural survival and sustained, equitable organization-building, with Klein’s artistic and social vision at its centre.
Featuring interviews, artists’ statements, essays and speeches in which Klein articulates the mission of Double Edge Theatre as it evolves, the volume captures the democratic spirit and boundary-pushing theatrical work the company has championed.