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Alternative Political Theatre in Britain in the 1970s:

Alternative Political Theatre in Britain in the 1970s:. From Brecht to Thatcher. The Background:. The Workers’ Theatre Movement: 1928-1938 Living Newspaper (the Federal Theatre project) Theatre Union: Manchester Theatre Workshop: Stratford, London (Joan Littlewood and Ewen MacColl).

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Alternative Political Theatre in Britain in the 1970s:

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  1. Alternative Political Theatre in Britain in the 1970s: From Brecht to Thatcher

  2. The Background: • The Workers’ Theatre Movement: 1928-1938 • Living Newspaper (the Federal Theatre project) • Theatre Union: Manchester • Theatre Workshop: Stratford, London (Joan Littlewood and Ewen MacColl)

  3. Victoria Theatre, Stoke: • Documentary Theatre in a conventional theatrical setting • Founded in 1962 as ‘theatre in the round’ • Peter Cheeseman, director from 1964 • Productions: The Knotty, The Jolly Potters, The Fight for Shelton Bar • Ensemble practice, writer-in-residence (Ayckbourn, Plater, Terson, Ken Campbell, Halliwell) archival research and oral history: ‘the words of the time’ • Performance styles

  4. The 1970s Political Context: From Militancy to Thatcher • !970-1974 – Conservative Government: industrial strife (Mining, Steel etc.) • 1974-1979 – Labour Government • Post-1968 • Feminism: Women’s Liberation Movement • Chile Solidarity • Anti-Nazi League

  5. The Theatre Companies • 60 alternative theatre companies • 7:84 (Scotland) and 7:84 (England); (John McGrath) • Monstrous Regiment (Gillian Hanna) • Banner • Red Ladder • CAST [Cartoon Archetypal Slogan Theatre] • Foco Novo • Belt and Braces (Gavin Richards) • Hull Truck Touring Company • Joint Stock • The Bite Theatre Group

  6. Organisation, Venues, and Performance Styles • Collectives • Left-wing politics • Non-conventional spaces: church halls, pubs, trade union clubs, community centres • Audiences: post-performance discussions • Production and staging: music, mime, slide projection, agitprop, cartoon, music hall, cabaret, folk theatre • Some groups wrote and devised their own plays, others linked with writers and/or performed already scripted pieces (e.g. Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and other Fo and Franca Rame plays) • Funding (Arts Council) and Wages (Equity minimum)

  7. Texts Referred to: • The Cheviot, The Stag and the Black, Black Oil • SCUM • Vinegar Tom • England Expects • Accidental Death of an Anarchist • The Bite • The Great Divide

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