DARK ATTRACTIONS: THE THEATRE OF PETER BARNES

"Dark Attractions is a major study of one of the most enduring and distinctive playwrights and screenwriters of the last fifty years. Renowned for such plays as The Ruling Class and Red Noses, and for a substantial body of work in television and radio, Peter Barnes gained in his lifetime international recognition and a range of honours." "In particular, Woolland analyses the ways in which Barnes uses and subverts theatrical traditions, and relates his work to a variety of relevant contexts: theatrical, critical and sociopolitical. Drawing specific attention to Barnes' singular use of comedy, the book also demonstrates that many of his plays enjoy remarkable contemporary relevance, and are formally far more innovative than has hitherto been recognised."

"An important contribution to our understanding of 'a great genius of the English theatre', Dark Attractions is an essential companion to the work of one of the most original, daring and exuberant dramatists of his generation."--Jacket.