Osborne John - John Osbornes Look Back in Anger

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Aleks Sierz

Continuum

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Aleks Sierz 2008

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Aleks Sierz has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

First published 2008

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-0-8264-9202-9 (hardback)

978-0-8264-9201-2 (paperback)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

Volumes in the series Continuum Modern Theatre Guides offer concise and informed introductions to the key plays of modern times. Each book takes a close look at one particular plays dramaturgical qualities and then at its various theatrical manifestations. The books are carefully structured to offer a systematic study of the play in its biographical, historical, social and political context, followed by an in-depth study of the text and a chapter which outlines the works production history, examining both the original productions of the play and subsequent major stage interpretations. Where relevant, screen adaptations will also be analyzed. There then follows a chapter dedicated to workshopping the play, based on suggested group exercises. Also included are a timeline and suggestions for further reading. Each book covers:

Background and context

Analysis of the play

Production history

Workshopping exercises

The aim is to provide accessible introductions to modern plays for students in both Theatre/Performance Studies and English, as well as for informed general readers. The series includes up-to-date coverage of a broad range of key plays, with summaries of important critical approaches and the intellectual debates that have illuminated the meaning of the work and made a significant contribution to our broader cultural life. They will enable readers to develop their understanding of playwrights and theatre-makers, as well as inspiring them to broaden their studies.

The Editors:

Steve Barfield, Janelle Reinelt,

Graham Saunders and Aleks Sierz

March 2008

I would firstly like to thank my fellow series editors, who have offered intellectual, practical and moral support throughout: Steve Barfield, Janelle Reinelt and Graham Saunders. Although I have not quoted at length from the interviews that I conducted as research for the book, the interviewees were all extremely helpful: Richard Baron, Richard Coyle, Emma Fielding, Peter Gill, Jacqueline Glasser, Scott Graham, David Hare, Gregory Hersov, Steve Hoggett, Marcus Romer, Michael Sheen, Derek Smith, David Tennant, Wendy Williams. Thanks for all your help.

The workshop chapter owes everything to a memorable weeklong workshop with third-year acting students at Rose Bruford College, Sidcup, held in February 2007. So my sincerest regards to Robert Amundsen, Adrian Decosta, Teddy Goddard, Jessica Gunning, Shonel Jackson, Simone James, Lena Kaur, Martin Winsley, Kelly Wood and Tonin Zefi. Thanks guys, you really rock. Id also like to thank the staff at Rose Bruford College for helping make this event a success, and especially Nesta Jones, Pat OToole and David Zoob.

I would also like to thank Alexis Amey (Public Eye), Beckah Cross (Royal Court), Alexa DeGennaro (Boston University), Gordon Dickerson, John Goodfellow (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Joe Hill-Gibbins, Helen Iball (Hull), Stephen Lacey (Glamorgan), Peter Leone, Mary Luckhurst (York), Katy Mckay (Harrowgate), Kate Morley (Blueprint), Heather Neill, Stephen Pidcock (Royal Court), Dan Rebellato (Royal Holloway), Harriet Robinson, Al Senter, Dominic Shellard (Sheffield), Robert Tanitch, Becky Thomas (Faber), Ewan Thompson (Royal Court), Anna Tune (ICM), Peter Whitebrook, Agata Witczak (Lodz) and Dinah Wood (Faber).

The staff at the embattled Theatre Museum were both knowledgeable and helpful. Id also like to thank the participants in the following events, which marked the fiftieth anniversary of Look Back in Anger. Oh Mr and Mrs Porter!, Theatre Museum, London, 19 March 2006; John Heilpern in Conversation with Michael Billington, Royal Court, London, 4 May 2006;Look Back in Anger: A Tribute, Royal Court, 8 May 2006;1956, 1968, 1979, 1995: New Historiographies of Post-War British Theatre, conference at Royal Holloway, University of London, 11-13 May 2006;More Than Just Osborne, British Library, 5 September 2006. In different ways, you all helped.

And my publisher, Anna Sandeman, along with the rest of the staff at Continuum, namely Colleen Coalter and Anya Wilson, were knowledgeable, efficient and helpful.

All quotations from John Osbornes Look Back in Anger appear with kind permission from Faber and Faber Ltd. For the USA, permission has been granted by The Arvon Foundation. Permission to perform the play in the USA should be made in writing prior to the commencement of rehearsals to Gordon Dickerson, 2 Crescent Grove, London SW4 7AH, UK.

And, as always, my heartfelt thanks for inspiration and encouragement to Lia Ghilardi.

ALEKS SIERZ

London, July 2007

This chapter is an introduction to the study of John Osbornes Look Back in Anger. It explains why the play is important, gives a sketch of its authors life and discusses the social, economic and political background to the play.

Look Back in Anger is the most famous new play of post-war British theatre - its significance, quite simply, is that it changed the history of theatre. It is one of the few works of drama that are indisputably central to British life, and its name is one of the most evocative in cultural history. Its opening night, on 8 May 1956, rapidly became legendary as the event which marks then off decisively from now - no less than a revolution (Taylor, 1969: 9, 14, 28). Look Back in Anger was important because it sparked off the first New Wave of what came to be known as Kitchen-Sink Drama: it expressed the sensibility of the Angry Young Men and Jimmy Porter, its anti-hero, became the spokesman of a whole generation. Osbornes play is a key milestone in new writing for British theatre, and the Royal Court theatre - which produced the play - has since become the countrys most important new writing venue. In 1999, the play was voted one of the top five most significant plays of the century in NT 2000, a National Theatre poll. And it remains highly relevant: Osborne made the future possible, writes