Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe : Imagination and Resistance

This book explores the connection between politics and theatre by looking at the works and lives of Shaw, Brecht, Sartre, and Ionesco, providing a cultural history detailing the changing role of political theatre in twentieth-century Europe. By examining four playwrights - George Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Eugene Ionesco - Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe looks at how political theatre has unraveled in the modern era due to the 'art of separation, ' wherein political concerns have been removed from the realm of theatre. When political theorists often discuss theatre, they do so mainly within the confines of ancient Greek playwrights, overlooking the salient and meaningful political discourse within more contemporary literature. Focusing squarely on the political elements of Shaw, Brecht, Sarte, and Ionesco, Morgan reintroduces political discourse into discussions of theatre - linking playwright to political philosopher, and their literature to the greater field of political discourse "Much has been written about the importance of ancient theatre for political theory. In Politics and Theatre in Twentieth-Century Europe, Margot Morgan broadens that discussion by focusing on four of the most important playwrights of the twentieth century: George Bernard Shaw, Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Eug Ionesco. Against the threats of totalitarianism, war, and political isolation, they used theatre to champion the dignity of the individual, the strength of the community, and the power of the imagination. Morgan explicates the lives and works of these playwrights and sees their innovations in theatre as providing a model for political practice"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction: Political Theatre and the Theatre of Politics....Pages 1-17 George Bernard Shaw: The Theatre of Bourgeois Radicalism....Pages 19-47 Bertolt Brecht: The Theatre of Proletarian Revolution....Pages 49-85 Jean-Paul Sartre: The Theatre of Situations....Pages 87-115 Eugène Ionesco: The Theatre of the Absurd....Pages 117-145 Conclusion: Political Theatre as Political Practice....Pages 147-166 Back Matter....Pages 167-212