I got that book that's the first image - Disrupting the Spectacle - it's very interesting and it led me to nearly everything. There's also a website called Unofficial Histories that is about fringe / experimental / radical theatre in the UK that has pages on all the most active theatre groups and playwrights of that era. I threw in a few Americans but it's most Brit, late '60s to the end of '70s.
The design of Disrupting the Spectacle is very Found Objects attuned I think - the unusual oblong shape, the typography. But beyond the fetish object appeal, it's a document of a fascinating period of idealistic - very like punk actually, similar preoccupations (mass media, terrorism, the establishment, invective and expletives, taboos broken) and with the cheapo DIY aspects as well (there was this phenomenon of pub theatre would you believe - years before pub rock - a play you could go watch cheaply during your lunch break!). Then you have the outfits like Welfare State doing surreal street pageants, bringing art to the people. Then others who are just very leftwing socialists dealing with issues like Northern Ireland, etc
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Fantastic post Simon. The Comedians at East St Havant. Think I know where that would have been. Where did you find all this?? superb selection
ReplyDeleteYeah, that must be The Spring in Havant. I saw my boss in Pinter's 'The Caretaker' there circa 1998!
DeleteI got that book that's the first image - Disrupting the Spectacle - it's very interesting and it led me to nearly everything. There's also a website called Unofficial Histories that is about fringe / experimental / radical theatre in the UK that has pages on all the most active theatre groups and playwrights of that era. I threw in a few Americans but it's most Brit, late '60s to the end of '70s.
ReplyDeleteThe design of Disrupting the Spectacle is very Found Objects attuned I think - the unusual oblong shape, the typography. But beyond the fetish object appeal, it's a document of a fascinating period of idealistic - very like punk actually, similar preoccupations (mass media, terrorism, the establishment, invective and expletives, taboos broken) and with the cheapo DIY aspects as well (there was this phenomenon of pub theatre would you believe - years before pub rock - a play you could go watch cheaply during your lunch break!). Then you have the outfits like Welfare State doing surreal street pageants, bringing art to the people. Then others who are just very leftwing socialists dealing with issues like Northern Ireland, etc
ReplyDelete