Howard Barker's Theatre of Seduction (Routledge Harwood Contemporary Theatre Studies)

This work presents a study of British playwright Howard Barker. The author begins by comparing Barker to Edward Bond with the aim of revealing what he perceives as being their diametrically opposed concepts about the function of drama. This book also looks at Barker against the world of deconstructive and postmodern thought, which leads to the author's "Theory of Seduction", in which Barker's plays are considered from an angle derived from Baudrillard's ideas about seduction.

The author begins with an illuminating comparison of Barker with Edward Bond, revealing what he perceives as being their almost diametrically opposed concepts about the function of drama. Charles Lamb then looks at Barker against the world of deconstruction and postmodern thought, which leads to the author's unique Theory of Seduction, in which Barker's plays (in particular Judith and the Castle) are considered from an angle derived from Baudrillard's ideas about seduction. Nine of Howard Barker's striking pen and wash drawings are reproduced in The Shape of Darkness, including five in color.
The key study of the British playwright Howard Barker arose from Charles Lamb's realization that current performance theories and production techniques are not appropriate to the plays of Howard Barker.

Preliminaries......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 7 Introduction to the Series......Page 8 List of Plates......Page 9 Preface......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1 Postmodernism and Theatre......Page 28 2 Seduction......Page 46 3 Judith A Seduction......Page 74 4 The Castle......Page 90 Notes......Page 150 Selective Bibliography......Page 156 List of Theatre Premières......Page 160 Index......Page 164 Study of the British playwright, Howard Barker which arose from Lamb's idea that current performance theories and production techniques do not work with Barker's plays. Lamb sets Barker's work against those ideas expounded by Edward Bond and the world of deconstruction and postmodern thought. Nine of Barker's drawings are also reproduced. Interdisciplinary Studies Preliminaries 1 CONTENTS 7 Introduction to the Series 8 List of Plates 9 Preface 10 Introduction 12 1 Postmodernism and Theatre 28 2 Seduction 46 3 Judith A Seduction 74 4 The Castle 90 Notes 150 Selective Bibliography 156 List of Theatre Premières 160 Index 164 First published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.