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The Angry Young Men
The Angry Young Men were "various British novelists and playwrights who emerged in the 1950s and expressed scorn and disaffection with the established sociopolitical order of their country" (Britannica). The men in the group were mostly from the working class and had very critical thoughts of the middle class. They felt that the middle class were hypocrites. John Osborne was one of the leading members of the group, and his play Look Back in Anger was highly praised. -
The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap is a murder mystery play. It was written by Agatha Christie who also wrote Murder on the Orient Express. When Christie wrote the play she was already very famous for her other works. Unlike other plays of the time that seemed to take jabs at british society and the monarchy, Christie "originally wrote the drama for Queen Mary, wife of the late King George V" (History.com Editors). Audiences immediately loved the play, and it became the longest running play of all time. -
Look Back in Anger
Created by John Osborne. The play is centered around young couple, Jimmy and Alison Porter. While Alison comes from a wealthier upper class background, Jimmy comes from a working class family. Their difference in class plays a huge role in their marriage falling apart. Through their marriage the play shows people's perceptions of class and how suffering changes human's. -
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre was the third subsidized English Theatre group. It drew in audiences by "championing new playwrights writing for a non-commercial audience" (Brockett et al. 203). the plays created under this company include John Osborne's Look Back in Anger and Edward Bond's Saved. Today the Royal Court "continues to produce the work of new, challenging playwrights and is partially supported by a government subsidy through the Arts Council" (Brockett et al. 204). -
The Entertainer
Written by the same writer as Look Back In Anger, John Osborn, The Entertainer is a thirteen part play. Because it premiered after The Suez Crisis, there was a lot of anticipation on the political statements that would be made. Osborne decided to create "a play in which the music hall would become a metaphor for the nation: the decline and fall of the Holborn Empire would mirror the decline and fall of the British empire" (Callow). The play was met with controversy, but that only helped it grow. -
The National Theatre Company is created
The government finally agreed to fund the founding of the company in 1963. Originally, the company ran out of the Old Vic theatre, but moved in 1976. "The National Theatre complex was designed by the architect Denys Lasdun and opened in 1976.The complex was originally comprised of three Theatres, the Thrust staged Olivier Theatre, the Proscenium arched Lyttleton Theatre, and the highly adaptable Cottesloe Theatre." (“The National Theatre, South Bank, London”) -
Early Morning
Early Morning was written in 1967 by Edward Bonds. This was his second unapproved play. The play depicted "Queen Victoria as having a lesbian affair with Florence Nightingale" (Brockett et al. 204). This play pushed Parliamentary to abolish previous censorship acts and create The Theatres Act which prevented plays from being censored. Because of Early Morning, Theatres all over the country were given the freedom to show whatever plays they wanted. -
Theatres Act of 1968
The push for the government to change it's laws on theatre censorship started after John Osborne and Edward Bond both had plays be denied license to perform. People were outraged by this and called on the government to amend it's previous laws. The Theatres Act of 1968 "was one of several landmark pieces of legislation in the 1960s, including the end of capital punishment, the legalisation of abortion, the introduction of pill, and the decriminalisation of homosexuality" (Osei-Frimpong). -
Caryl Churchill
Although Caryl Churchill started her career in theatre in the late 50's, it wasn't until 1972 when she came out with Owners that she gained major attention. Owners was "a two-act 14-scene play about obsession with power" (Britannica). She went on to become resident dramatist at Royal Court Theatre. It is there that she would make Objections to Sex and Violence (1974) and many other feminist plays. In these plays Churchill would address things like sexual revolution and politics. -
Equus
Equus is a two act play written by Peter Shaffer. Shaffer was inspired to make the play after he heard of a boy who blinded six horses. The play's main character is Martin Dysart. Martin was a psychiatrist who tells of his experience with Alan Strange. Alan was a 17 year old boy who had gotten arrested for blinding six horses.