Six contemporary dramatists--Bennett, Potter, Gray, Brenton, Hare, Ayckbourn

Six Contemprorary Dramatists explores the central concerns of six of the most important contemporary dramatists. It demonstrates how the work of Alan Bennett, Dennis Potter, Simon Gray, Howard Brenton, David Hare and Alan Ayckbourn is essentially moral, and relates their aspirations to the British romantic tradititradition of the last century. At the same time it explores how each writer has responded to changes that took place in personal and public ethics during the 1980s as a result of Thatcherism. It also includes an interview with Alan Ayckbourn, published here for the first time, in which the volume's themes are focused and summarised. This is an essential and readable guide to televised and theatrical drama for students and theatregoers alike.