{"product_id":"9781783190355","title":"That Was Us : Contemporary Irish Theatre and Performance","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThat Was Us\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the wake of Ireland’s recent economic rise, fall, and associated social crises, theatre and performance have played vital roles in reflecting on the past, engaging the present, and imagining possible futures.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThat Was Us\u003c\/i\u003e features a wide, rich range of critical essays and artist reflections that strive to make sense of some of the most significant shifts and trends in contemporary Irish theatre and  performance. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFocusing on artists connected to the Dublin Theatre Festival, the book addresses work by the Abbey Theatre, ANU Productions, Brokentalkers, The Corn Exchange, Druid, Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, the Gate Theatre, Landmark Productions, Rough Magic Theatre Company, THEATREclub, Theatre Lovett, Pan Pan, The Stomach Box and THISISPOPBABY, among others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome of the burgeoning forms and practices discussed include: site-specific and site-responsive theatre; testimonial, documentary, and biographical performance; dance theatre; theatre for children and families; new writing; and fresh takes on canonical writing staged at home or toured internationally.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn bringing together critics and artists to think side by side, \u003ci\u003eThat Was Us\u003c\/i\u003e is indispensable for anyone interested in contemporary practices and cultural politics. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eContents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. The Power of the Powerless: Theatre in Turbulent Times by \u003ci\u003eFintan Walsh\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eONE: Theatres of Testimony \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. ANU Productions and Site-Specific Performance: The Politics of Space and Place by \u003ci\u003eBrian Singleton\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. Witnessing the (Broken) Nation: Theatre of the Real and Social Fragmentation in Brokentalkers’ \u003ci\u003eSilver Stars\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Blue Boy\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eHave I No Mouth \u003c\/i\u003eby \u003ci\u003eCharlotte McIvor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. You Had to be There by \u003ci\u003eLouise Lowe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTWO: Auto\/Biographical Performance \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. Making Space: Female-Authored Queer Performance in Irish Theatre by \u003ci\u003eOonagh Murphy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e6. The Writing Life by \u003ci\u003eHelen Meany\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. Metaphysicians of Unnatural Chaos: Memories of \u003ci\u003eGenesi \u003c\/i\u003eby Socìetas Raffaello Sanzio by \u003ci\u003eDylan Tighe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHREE: Bodies Out of Bounds\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e8. Insider and Outsider: Michael Keegan-Dolan in the Irish Dance Landscape by \u003ci\u003eMichael Seaver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e9. And the Adults Came Too! Dublin Theatre Festival and the Development of Irish Children’s Theatre by \u003ci\u003eEimear Beardmore\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e10. Living Inspiration by \u003ci\u003eJohn Scott\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFOUR: Placing Performance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e11. Representations of Working-Class Dublin at the Dublin Theatre Festival by \u003ci\u003eJames Hickson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e12. ‘Getting Known’: Beckett, Ireland, and the Creative Industries by \u003ci\u003eTrish McTighe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e13. The Art of Perspective by \u003ci\u003eMichael West\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFIVE: Touring Performances\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e14. Druid Cycles: The Rewards of Marathon Productions by \u003ci\u003eTanya Dean\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e15. Staging the National in an International Context: Druid at the Dublin Theatre Festival by \u003ci\u003eSara Keating\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e16. Viewed from Afar: Contemporary Irish Theatre on the World’s Stages by \u003ci\u003ePeter Crawley\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e17. A Dance You Associate With Your Family by \u003ci\u003eGary Keegan\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The collection aims for - and achieves - great breadth. It features seventeen chapters from scholars and practitioners on subjects ranging from socially engaged theatre such as that of ANU Productions and Brokentalkers, to children's theatre, to 'bio-plays' that have taken literary figures as their protagonists, to the touring productions of Druid Theatre Company... the collection succeeds in demonstrating \"the ongoing role theatre and performance have to play in exploring questions of identity, responsibility, and civic participation\". While O'Toole might lament the absence of a 'power play' in contemporary Ireland, Walsh and his contributors show that Irish theatre and performance have responded in diverse and often provocative ways to the challenges of living in contemporary Ireland.” —\u003ci\u003eDr Sinead Moynihan (University of Exeter)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An intelligent, occasionally emotional dissection of what its editor Fintan Walsh pointedly describes as \"theatre and performance in a time of crisis\". It's a timely compendium of critical essays and recollections by those on the creative front line of a sector confronting profound economic, political and social change. It also proves to be spine-stiffening testimony to theatre's ability to engage with the here and now... highly recommended” —\u003ci\u003eThe Stage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781783190355\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Oberon Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40819115589838,"sku":"9781783190355","price":21.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_abaf7707-5a19-4325-b7a1-895c1d4edab4.jpg?v=1642924504","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781783190355","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}