English - Book chapters

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    Risings and cancelling: Implicit censorship on a free Irish stage
    (University of Exeter Press, 2024-01-23) Etienne, Anne; Fitzpatrick, Lisa; Etienne, Anne; Megson, Chris
    In opposition to its British counterpart, Ireland could boast both a National Theatre and a stage free from official censorship in the early twentieth century. Even following Irish independence in 1922, theatre – unlike publications and cinema – remained untethered by any centralized censorship system. However, the absence of apparatus does not equate to the absence of censorship, and Joan FitzPatrick Dean’s taxonomy of stage censorship shows that the most pernicious interventions proved all the more effective because they operated outside of the law (2004: 27-32) and were motivated indirectly by a staunch Catholic ethos, if not directly by a prominent Church representative (2001). In this sense, O’Casey’s comment cited in the epigraph to this chapter is apposite – a Bishop need not be visible to be influential. In the twenty-first century, the influence of ‘a Bishop’ on artistic freedom has waned, but recent public events in Irish theatre conjure the image of levers that have functioned as mechanisms of exclusion. This chapter asks how the contemporary repertoire is shaped by exploring case studies through the lens of censorship, thereby attempting to identify contemporary agents of censorship in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) and Northern Ireland.
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    Arnold Wesker (1932-2016)
    (The Literary Dictionary Company Limited, 2004-12-07) Etienne, Anne; Kennedy , Nicole; Lyle, Gina; MacPhee , Graham; Myler, Kerry; Ramone, Jenni
    One of the foremost playwrights of his generation, Arnold Wesker is considered something of an outsider in England, an assertion made by critics Ronald Bryden in 1966 and Michael Billington in 2000. Wesker is never where the audience, or the Establishment, expects him to be. He is not an agent provocateur, but a writer for whom words should be bridges, meant to prompt action. Acclaimed for his first five plays, his trademark experimentation with style has created some resistance from critics and public alike. He has written 44 plays to date, as well as short stories, film and television scripts, poetry and the essays collected in Fears of Fragmentation, which describe his vision of Centre 42, Distinctions and Wesker on Theatre. He is currently finishing his first novel. However, only two of his plays (Caritas, 1980, and Love Letters on Blue Paper, 1976) have been produced at the National Theatre. In addition, his chance at a Broadway opening foundered with the death of Zero Mostel, the star actor in Shylock (1976), his version of The Merchant of Venice.
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    Lane-ism: Anthony Trollope’s Irish roads in time and space
    (Edinburgh University Press, 2018) Connolly, Claire; Van Dam, Frederik; Skilton, David; Graef, Ortwin
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    ‘It's remarkable how often [madness and brilliance] coincide’: An analysis of the characters, Captain Jack Sparrow and Tarrant Hightopp, as alternate depictions of masculinity
    (Emerald Publishing Ltd., 2024-09-16) Brassil, Ailish Kate; Le Clue, Natalie
    In fairy tales, male heroes typically come from royalty and villains are categorised as pirates, evil Kings, various animal and supernatural creatures, for example, Scar, the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and Bluebeard. In Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), Captain Jack Sparrow lacks the villainous qualities that come from Disney's predecessor, Captain Hook. However, Jack does not possess the classic qualities of a prince. He tries to be heroic when he rescues Elizabeth Swann but turns on her to excel in his own motives. With beads in his hair, his eyes lined with kohl, and a love for accessories, Jack's appearance distorts traditional notions of masculinity. In Alice in Wonderland (2010), Tarrant Hightopp (Mad Hatter) is an untraditional character who has become detached from reality. His madness, which is evident through his clothes, speech, and actions, comes from the destruction of his family. Jack and Hatter invert the expected order of things, ‘Now up is down’ (Verbinski, 2007). Their hats appear to be symbols of their obscure masculinity. Although they are both played by Johnny Depp, the Hatter and Captain Jack Sparrow possess unconventional male attributes which make them unlikely heroic characters. They offer a fluid perspective on the ever-changing aspects of masculinity. Unconventionality is becoming increasingly popular in Disney works. Therefore, this chapter aims to analyse two non-traditional male fairy tale characters with an emphasis on their fashion choices, lack of true love endeavours and unconventional heroic actions.
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