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The first book to investigate the place of law in modern and contemporary drama Theatre, according to the prominent British playwright David Hare, is our most effective 'court of justice'. This book assesses the credibility of this arresting claim in the immediate context of contemporary British theatre by investigating the place and purpose of law in a range of modern dramatic settings and writings. Each chapter focusses on a particular area of law and the work of a particular contemporary playwright and in doing so illustrates the important role of contemporary theatre in articulating legal and political issues to a modern audience. Exploring a range of different genres in contemporary drama; including the historical, the poetic, realist, documentary and 'in-yer-face', this volume explores the capacity of modern playwrights to engage with issues such as pornography, murder, the contemporary experience of terrorism, the function of Parliament, and the role of the monarchy. Works explored include: David Hare's Richard Norton-Taylor's
Called to Account Caryl Churchill's
Vinegar Tom and
Light Shining in Buckinghamshire Howard Brenton's
55 Days Mike Bartlett's
King Charles II Sarah Kane's
Blasted Alan Ayckbourn's
Snake in the Grass Dennis Kelly's
Taking Care of Baby Bryony Lavery's
Frozen Evan Placey's
Girls Like That. Ian Ward is Professor of Law at Newcastle University.
List of contents
Introduction
Murmurings
Thinking the Unthinkable
Churchill's Wars
Uneasy Heads
The Haunting of King Charles III
Feasts of Filth
Tears in the Fabric8 A Revenger's Tragedy
Conclusion
About the author
Ian Ward is Professor of Law at Newcastle University. His research focusses on the intersection of law, literature and history. Ian is an experienced author and has written numerous books and articles. Recent books include
Literature and Human Rights (De Gruyter, 2017),
Sex, Crime and Literature in Victorian England (Hart, 2014) and
Law, Text, Terror (CUP, 2009).
Summary
This book assesses the credibility of this arresting claim in the immediate context of contemporary British theatre by investigating the place and purpose of law in a range of modern dramatic settings and writings.
