'Look at the Ground and Imagine its Past': David Greig's History Plays

Botham, Paola (2016) 'Look at the Ground and Imagine its Past': David Greig's History Plays. Contemporary Theatre Review, 26 (1). pp. 49-59. ISSN 10486801 (ISSN)

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Abstract

Given the acknowledged importance of Greig's plays for current debates on globalization and transnational identities, most scholarly attention has been focused on the geographical component of his work. This article, by contrast, explores the historical dimension. In contemporary British theatre, Greig can be placed among a cross-generational group of dramatists who are giving a new lease of life to the history play, particularly in its 'radical' post-1968 version, highlighting the connection between past and present and the possibilities of historical change. Greig's history plays, from The Speculator (1999) to Dunsinane (2010), combine Brechtian dispassionate analysis with the Adornian utopian spirit, generating an engagement with the past that is both evocative and politically resonant. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1080/10486801.2015.1123703
Dates:	Date Event 3 March 2016 Published
Subjects:	CAH19 - language and area studies > CAH19-01 - English studies > CAH19-01-01 - English studies (non-specific) CAH20 - historical, philosophical and religious studies > CAH20-01 - history and archaeology > CAH20-01-01 - history CAH25 - design, and creative and performing arts > CAH25-02 - performing arts > CAH25-02-03 - drama
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts, Design and Media > College of English and Media
Depositing User:	Users 18 not found.
Date Deposited:	15 Nov 2016 13:37
Last Modified:	11 Jun 2024 12:08
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/3455

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