This documentary history covers a period of Irish political and dramatic climax that had an impact not only on the nation, but on the world as well. During these years both Ireland and its major theater attained a position, however precarious, of stability. De Valera and the Republicans laid down their arms and entered politics, while, by a state subsidy, the Abbey was formally recognized as the Irish National Theatre. The importance of these years goes far beyond Ireland itself because the Irish masterpieces of Sean O'Casey - The Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Paycock, and The Plough and the Stars - made an impact upon world drama nearly as profound as that of Luigi Pirandello or of Eugene O'Neill. As this book is a documentary history, the story is told primarily through the words of the writers, actors, producers, critics, and members of the audience who themselves lived and created the story. However, these contemporary accounts are frequently amplified and put into modern perspective, particularly at crucial moments such as a major production, a final production, or a death. The authors have particularly done so with writers of some importance such as Edward Martyn, William Boyle, or T.C. Murray. Since the theater of these years was especially influenced by the state of the country, the authors give considerable space to the disruptive political events of the times. Always, however, this is done from the particular vantage point of the theater and its workers, for the Irish theater vigorously reacted to and quickly assimilated the turbulent political events of the day: the raids, the reprisals, the burnings, and the murders. These 1,800 days really break into two periods. The first comprises the violence of the Black and Tan War, the exhaustion that led to the treaty, and the bitterness occasioned by the treaty that led to the culminating ferocity of the civil war. The second is politically and theatrically a time of consolidation and assimilation. The two early plays of O'Casey might well be seen as symptoms of this healing process. The wound in the body politic was deep, however, and not to be so quickly or so easily healed; moreover, such matters as The Plough row and O'Casey's departure from Ireland inevitably seem to be later, more lasting symptoms of divisions that still fester in Ireland today. The authors' account of Ireland's drama is not merely confined to the capital city of Dublin, but also to Belfast, Cork, and the provinces. Also included are a full bibliography and cast listings of all the significant new plays produced or published during the period.

Se?O'Casey was the quintessential Dublin playwright. In critical works that include his Dublin Trilogy - The Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Paycock, and The Plough and the Stars - he portrayed the traumatic birth of a nation and delved into the Irish national character. Christopher Murray's Se?O'Casey: Writer at Work takes a fresh look at the last of the great writers of the Irish literary revival.

Chris Morash's widely-praised account of Irish Theatre traces an often forgotten history leading up to the Irish Literary Revival. He then follows that history to the present by creating a remarkably clear picture of the cultural contexts which produced the playwrights who have been responsible for making Irish theatre's world-wide historical and contemporary reputation. The main chapters are each followed by shorter chapters, focusing on a single night at the theatre. This prize-winning book is an essential, entertaining and highly original guide to the history and performance of Irish theatre.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Exploration of the life and work of Irish playwright, George Fitzmaurice

Hegemony and Fantasy in Irish Drama, 1899-1949 offers a theoretically innovative reconsideration of drama produced in the Irish Renaissance, as well as an engagement with non-canonical drama in the under-researched period 1926-1949.

This Critical Companion to the work of one of Ireland's most famous and controversial playwrights, Sean O'Casey, is the first major study of the playwright's work to consider his oeuvre and the archival material that has appeared during the last decade. Published ahead of the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland with which O'Casey's most famous plays are associated, it provides a clear and detailed study of the work in context and performance. James Moran shows that O'Casey not only remains the most performed playwright at Ireland's national theatre, but that the playwright was also one of the most controversial and divisive literary figures, whose work caused riots and who alienated many of his supporters. Since the start of the 'Troubles' in the North of Ireland, his work has been associated with Irish historical revisionism, and has become the subject of debate about Irish nationalism and revolutionary history. Moran's admirably clear study considers the writer's plays, autobiographical writings and essays, paying special attention to the Dublin trilogy, The Shadow of a Gunman, Juno and the Paycock, and The Plough and the Stars. It considers the work produced in exile, during the war and the late plays. The Companion also features a number of interviews and essays by other leading scholars and practitioners, including Garry Hynes, Victor Merriman and Paul Murphy, which provide further critical perspectives on the work.