Product Description

This lively collection of essays gives a non-technical, but profound analysis of the essential relationship between politics and literature. Bernard Crick shows how 'political theatre' is often both bad theatre and simplistic politics, but how good producers can bring out political messages in such seemingly 'unpolitical' dramas as Twelfth Night. The essays begin with general themes, including a vigorous critique of RSC and NT producers' views of the political, and a denial of the myth that the far left dominated 1930s writing. They then move on to an analysis of George Orwell and finally to celebrate specific occasions and events in modern British theatre. With his refreshing disrespect for over-ornate and overly scholastic Marxist and academic writers, Professor Crick's book will be of interest to all those concerned with the arts and the theatre, as well as political philosophers and English literature students.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1857991 in Books
• Published on: 1989-07-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 238 pages

About the Author
Sir Bernard Crick was Professor Emeritus of Politics at Birkbeck College, Honorary Fellow in Politics at the University of Edinburgh and Stevenson Professor of Citizenship at the University of Glasgow. He was a former adviser on citizenship to the DfES and on citizenship and integration to the Home Office. He was a member of the Scottish Committee of the Advisory Board on Naturalisation and Integration. He was author of numerous books including In Defence of Politics (Continuum, 2005), George Orwell: A Life (Penguin, 1982) Essays on Politics and Literature (EUP, 1989), Essays on Citizenship (Continuum, 2000) and Democracy: A Short Introduction (OUP, 2002).