This revelatory study explores how Scottish history plays,especially since the 1930s, raise issues of ideology, national identity,historiography, mythology, gender and especially Scottish language. Covering topicsup to the end of World War Two, the book addresses the work of many key figuresfrom the last century of Scottish theatre, including Robert McLellan and his contemporaries,and also Hector MacMillan, Stewart Conn, John McGrath, Donald Campbell, BillBryden, Sue Glover, Liz Lochhead, Jo Clifford, Peter Arnott, David Greig, RonaMunro and others often neglected ormisunderstood.
Setting thesewriters’ achievements in the context of their Scottish and Europeanpredecessors, Ian Brown offers fresh insights into key aspects of Scottishtheatre. As such, this represents the first study to offer an overarching viewof historical representation on Scottish stages,exploring the nature of ‘history’ and ‘myth’ and relating these afresh to how dramatists use – and subvert –them.Engagingand accessible, this innovative book will attract scholars and students interestedin history, ideology, mythology, theatre politics and explorations of nationaland gender identity.
