Impossible Plays
Adventures with the Cottesloe Company
Published on 8. November 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-0-413-77585-6 (ISBN)
Description
Bill Bryden's Cottesloe Company, which flourished at Peter Hall's National Theatre, was the English theatre's only true ensemble of the last thirty or so years. Impossible Plays tells the story of the company and the many actors and musicians connected to it. Co-written by Keith Dewhurst, author of eight plays for the group, and Jack Shepherd, a founder-actor, it explains the ideas behind the company's work and how the work was staged, and provides an idiosyncratic, lively and deeply personal take on the company. "The search was always to find a popular theatre, a form of theatre that would draw into it people from all backgrounds, not just the cultured and the educated." Beginning with a Royal Court Theatre Sunday night performance in 1970, the story of one company's aim to create a popular theatre form includes such milestone productions as The Mystery cycle of plays and Lark Rise to Candleford. With photographs by John Haynes, Michael Mayhew and Nobby Clark, Impossible Plays is a glorious and timely tribute to one of theatre's most innovative companies.
Reviews / Votes
'A vivid, nuanced and intimate account of the National Theatre's only true ensemble, Bill Bryden's Cottesloe Theatre company. Playwright Keith Dewhurst and actor Jack Shepherd tell an inspiring story of the company they helped to make. Anyone who cares about popular theatre, Britishness, the alchemy of theatrical space, acting as a group process and performance as a midfield football match, needs this book.' Michael Kustow 'The Cottesloe gang were an extraordinary troupe: a company within a company that created a style of theatre that was vigorous, popular and life-enhancing. The work they did deserves permanent recognition.' Michael Billington, The Guardian 'The Bill Bryden Company produced an extraordinary cannon of highly original innovative work at a time when British theatre was stagnating... ensemble at its best... and sometimes at its not so best.' Richard Wilson 'Here playwright Keith Dewhurst and actor Jack Shepherd povide an absorbing and entertaining behind-the-scenes account of celebrated productions such as 'The Mysteries' and 'Lark Rise to Candleford', and describe in revealing fashion the company's attempts to create a genuine popular theatre.' StageWrite (Spring 2007) 'A glorious and timely tribute to one of theatre's most innovative companies.' Wrinternet Bulletin (December 2006)More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
B&W plate sections
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
302 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-413-77585-6 (9780413775856)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2014
1st Edition
Methuen Drama
€29.99
Available for download
E-Book
05/2014
1st Edition
Methuen Drama
€29.99
Available for download
Persons
Keith Dewhust wrote eight of the plays produced by the Cottesloe Company, including Lark Rise to Candleford. Jack Shepherd, a leading actor of his generation, was one of the founding actors of the Cottesloe Company as well as being a playwright. In 2005 his play Man Falling Down: A Mask Play was staged at the Globe Theatre, London.