context Flashcards
Dale Farm Eviction 2011
romany community was forcibly evicted similar to Johnny - traveller
police turned up with ‘shields and batons’ ‘South Wiltshire’ police said Ginger in Act 3
first performed where??
Royal Court Theatre in 2009 - renown for presenting played about contemporary issues - socio-political STATE-OF-THE-NATION DRAMA
Jimmy Saville Sex Scandals
October 2012 - dichotomy of good and evil characters of Troy and Johnny
Global Financial Crisis 2007-2008
• monetisation of the flintlock fair - traditions are commercialised or lost - changed meaning
• Ginger is unemployed ‘DJ’
when was William Blake’s poem ‘And did those feet in ancient time’ written??
1804 - he was a radical and a rebel opposed to institutions of power and authority (the establishment) that exploit others
- subversive character alike Johnny
- libertarian
a patriotic hymn composed in 1916 by…
Hubert Parry - became like a national anthem
the lyrics explain a changing landscape due to industry and profit - familiar theme within the play “what the fuck do you think an english forest is for?” Johnny evicted in order for the New Estate to gain profit by building houses on the greenworld site
when is the play set??
St George’s Day - 23rd April
Patron St of England even tho he was Roman soldier from Turkey
legend told in 12th Century Johnny Phaedra and Troy are dragon and victim etc
Phaedra married to Theseus but in love with his son Hippolytus - rejected
allusion to Greek Mythology - synonymous with familial disputes, rejection, unacceptable taboo desire and tragedy
May Day
public holiday and celebration/festival - traditional rites like maypole and morris dancing - OBBY-OS IN CORNWALL PADSTOW fertility rites for harvest come autumn
May Queen:
according to pagan lore symbolises purity, strength, fertility, growth, spring changer new beginnings and life - stems from Floralia festival in ancient Rome
Shakespeare - born and died on April 23rd
connotations of carnivalesque and greenworld within his plays ‘To Titania’ ‘dressed as a fairy’ - enchantment and could represent Queen of the Fairies in midsummer
LoM - Falstaff
May Queen - crowned
based on Floralia festival in ancient Rome
without a Queen England will remain in a state of stasis - lose its symbolic new beginning and rebirth
The Peasants Revolt 1381
Watt Tyler - Paul Kingsnorth ‘Forget Saint George - Let’s Celebrate Wat Tyler’s Day’
England Riots 2011
Mark Rylance ‘Is this play happening now or two years ago’ Ian Rickson - ‘Now’
‘our mates have done it in Liverpool, Manchester’
Legend of Drake’s drum
- heard to beat at times when england is at war or significant national events
Hilary Montel - Wolf Hall 2009
origin myths of britain - island named ‘Albina’ - LEGEND OF BRUTUS
