The Weir by Conor McPherson

Authorial Biography

Conor McPherson was born in Dublin, Ireland on August 6, 1971. The Irish playwright was educated at the University College Dublin, where he studied philosophy, literature, and psychology. McPherson is known for his “amazing gift for storytelling,” often expressed in monologue form. Whether monologue or ensemble, his writing uses “understatement, indirection and contained tenseness” to serve his “uncanny gift for getting inside the minds of the characters he creates” (Brantley qtd. in Wood). McPherson’s plays are linear in narrative and movement in a way that seems better suited to the novel than the stage. (Haughney,Paul, Cormac O’Brien, and Josh Tobiessen. “Struggling Toward a Future: Irish Theater Today) McPherson has written Rum and Vodka, The Good Thief, This Lime Tree Bower, St. Nicholas, The Weir, Dublin Carol, Port Authority, Come on Over, Shining City, The Seafarer, and The Birds. McPherson is also a writer and director for films. He wrote Endgame and directed I Went Down, The Actors, and The Eclipse. Among many other achievements, McPherson was awarded the Evening Standard Award, George Devine Award, Critics Circle Award, and Laurence Olivier Award for The Weir.

The Weir: Plot Summary

The Weir begins in a small, rural bar in Ireland. It is evening and Jack (a mechanic) and Brendan (the owner of the pub) are discussing various events of each of their days while having a few drinks. Weather, family, horse racing; the conversation is a friendly one, but covers every topic imaginable. Eventually, they begin to gossip about Finbar, a successful, local businessman ; apparently, he has sold the Nealon home to a young woman from Dublin. The two find this impressive since the house has been empty for several years and Jack tells Brendan that Finbar plans to come by the bar to introduce them to the girl later in the night. Although there are no “real” hard feelings between any of the men, Jack disapproves of Finbar’s interaction with the woman because he believes it makes the rest of them appear desperate, not to mention that Finbar is a married man. Regardless, both men look forward to meeting her. A little later, Jim (Jack’s assistant) enters the pub and follows in the footsteps of his pals; he gets a couple of drinks and joins in on the conversation. He speaks of his day too, but the talks turn back to Finbar and the female once again. Jim confirms the beauty of the girl and tells the other two how attractive she is which leads to a collected suspicion. The men continue to drink and smoke (Jack) as they wait for their expected guests. Not too long after, Finbar and the woman, Valerie, enter the bar. Once everyone introduces themselves, all five begin to drink. For a while, the topic of interests is Finbar’s financial status (which a large chunk of seems to have come from his diseased father) and his intentions with Valerie. It starts off as a friendly, poke-fun-at talk, but turns swiftly once tension is built and the men become arrogant. Once everyone is calm, the men show Valerie some old photographs of themselves, the town, etc. Then, they talk about the weir and how it relates to the house that Valerie has just bought. Brendan speaks of the fairy road that runs beneath the home and from here, the stories begin. Jack is first; he tells the story of Birdie, a well-known, widowed woman in the area. She was sort of a practical joker, even at a young age, so no one took her very seriously. He explains that one day, she heard knocking on the door of the home, but when she went to open it, no one was there. At first she thought it was just someone playing a joke on her, getting her back, but it continued to happen, daily. Her daughter Maura could hear it too, but whenever she asked her mother if she wanted her to answer the door, Birdie would tell her not to worry about it, that it was nothing. Jack explains that she (Birdie) never told anyone of the knockings and that he discovered the happenings through Maura. The women later had a priest come by to bless the house and from that day on the knocking never returned….until the weir was going up. He concludes his story by telling the listeners that he too believed the house was built on a fairy road, which isn’t a road at all, but instead “a row of things”. After a few laughs and more drinks, Finbar starts a story. It’s about a young girl who fell down a flight of stairs and claimed she saw a man on the steps and could hear voices sometimes, like children outside her window and other delusional things; it shares some similarities to a later story as well. As usual, once Finbar is done, the group drinks again and Finbar goes on a rant about several things. He is cut off by Jim, who tells another supernatural tale. This story is different because it actually “happened” to the story teller; it starts off with Jim at a funeral with one of his friends, Declan. Declan leaves to go get something while Jim waits for him and a man walks out of the church towards him. The stranger tells him that Jim is standing at the wrong grave and that the man they were burying should not be buried at that spot. Jim is hesitant, but goes along with the man and they walk to a little girl’s tombstone. The man claims that this is the correct place, strokes the grave, and then walks back into the church. Jim continues his story, saying that to this day, the mother of the young girl never truly forgave him because the man that spoke to him that day had a reputation for being a pervert AND he was dead. What Jim saw that day was just the soul or something of a troubled man who wanted to her buried by an innocent child. This overwhelms everyone in the bar, so much so that Valerie needs to go to the restroom. Brendan tells her that it’s broken, but he’ll gladly take her into the house, which he does. While the two of them are gone, the rest of the men argue amongst each other for who started the foolishness that caused Valerie to be upset. They each blame each other, and when Valerie and Brendan return, they all apologize. She doesn’t accept their apology because she genuinely believes that there is nothing to apologize for; she has enjoyed the entire night and each of the three stories. In fact, she even begins to tell a story; her story is personal and it’s true, however, this isn’t revealed until the end. It’s about her daughter, Niamh, and the fallout from her death. Valerie loved her; she speaks of the nightmares she used to have and how she was scared to be alone without her mother and father. Then the mood shifts and she tells the men how she made a promise to her daughter, to be there to see her swim…but she couldn’t make it, she was late because of work. When she did get there, kids and parents were crying and an ambulance was there. A woman told her that Niamh hit her head in the pool and they were working on reviving her, that she was going to be ok. But she wasn’t. In a matter of moments, she was gone and all Valerie got a chance to do was give her a final hug. The funeral of course was hard and so was living without her baby, but one day, the phone rang. She didn’t answer it, but it rang again, so she did and on the other line was Niamh. The first word she said was “Mammy,”; she thought she was at nana’s and she wanted someone to come and get her. Valerie dropped the phone and ran to the car instantly and drove; what’s worse is she knew that she was going to be there and she cried the entire drive. Ever since then, her relationship with Daniel (husband) has fallen apart and she still struggles with the idea of the loss being solely her fault. What started out as a playful activity to pass time grew to be serious. After hearing this and realizing that this fiction is indeed a fact, the men express their sympathy. She thanks them all for their support and they began to bond again. Not too long after this (after more drinks too, of course), Jim leaves with Finbar and Jack, Brendan and Valerie continue talking. Brendan has not told a story all night and will not because Valerie opens the door for Jack to tell another tale. She asks questions like if he has kids, is he married, why he’s alone, etc. and he answers her with a love story. He tells her of a time when he was young, once when he loved and how he took advantage of the girl. All he wanted was sex; he didn’t write her back, didn’t want her around the house, etc. How he failed to treat her right and how he knew what he was doing was wrong. He tells her that at her wedding, she looked at him like he was just another guest; no passion, no hate, just that empty, fake stare and that devastated him. He couldn’t even go to the reception. He walked to a bar in the rain and this barman, a complete stranger, fixed him a sandwich. That meant something to him; a guy who knew nothing about him who he had never met before cared and wanted to help. He claims that he regrets it every day and has felt terrible about it every day of his life since. He also states that this isn’t a ghostly tale. Valerie and Brendan lighten the room up by switching the topic. The play ends with Valerie, Brendan and Jack walking out of the door, discussing Germans.

The Weir by Connor McPherson

Historical Period

The Irish culture has revolved around story telling and folklore for hundreds of years and this tradition has been very active in the pubs across the country. McPherson uses this tradition sensationally in The Weir to capture the essence of traditional Irish culture. The pub is an important part of Irish society because it is not only a place to drink, it is also where patrons come together to tell stories and discuss a limitless range of topics. Folklore and story telling has began to decline in present-day Ireland as a result of technological advances and a lack of enthusiasm for tradition. McPherson is able to successfully pay homage to what is seen as the epitome of Irish culture; which is story telling in a rural pub.

The modern Irish theatre traces its beginnings back to William Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn in the late 19^th century. Their style concentrated on Irish folklore and tradition including plays about family life and social issues. This theme has been kept for the most part to the present day even with the addition of numerous theatre companies since Yeats and Gregory’s Abbey Theatre. One issue that has been seen in modern Irish theatre is the lack of plays in the Abbey theatre by female playwrights, which has caused some discontent especially in the 1990s. Regardless, Irish drama and playwriting has continued to flourish while keeping in touch with its roots in its national culture. Audiences continue to be amazed and captivated in Ireland and around the world

Production History

The Weir was written by Conor McPherson in 1997, and was first performed at The Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in London on July 4, 1997. It was also performed on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre from April 1 through November 28, 1999. Other performances include Dublin in 2008, Belfast in 2004, and most recently Washington D.C. in 2011. The play has received much praise and was voted number 40 in a poll by the Royal National Theatre, London, of the most significant plays of the 20^th century. It also won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1997.

Characters

Jim: man in his forties who works with Jack at his mechanics shop. He enters the play having just driven around his elderly mother. We can see the softer side of this man through his actions toward others.

Jack: Older gentleman, in his fifties, who owns a local mechanics shop. He is familiar with the town, the bar, and the people. He is single and has an addiction to cigarettes. . . and sometimes booze. Because he knows the town well, he knows the gossip. He is a bit wary of Finbar giving the town's newest resident, Valerie, a tour of her new home. He doesn't think it appropriate that a married man carry out such a task when Jack, as well as others in the play, are single and willing.

Brendan: Young bar owner in his thirties that also owns the land surrounding his establishment. He rents, for lack of a better word, his surrounding land to tourists during tourist season. He is kind and very willing to do whatever it takes to make others happy. For example, he insists on going to his own home to retrieve a bottle of white wine for Valerie because he doesn't have any in the bar. A sweet, young gentlemen that seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Finbar: A man in his late forties, Finbar is boisterous and somewhat cocky. He enjoys flaunting the things he does, escorting Valerie around the town for example, and owns a local hotel. He is married and seems to still have an immature heir about him. He enjoys the company of the other characters but he and Jack like to lovingly take hits at each other. These subtle insults and jokes give us a better understanding of how different Finbar is from the rest. He has material things and the others make do with what they have.

Valeria: New to the town and excited about all of the possibilities it has to offer. She is currently renting a place to live from Finbar. She is young, beautiful, and has a brave spirit. . . something that is seen in her desire to hear more ghost stories from the men. She has recently lost her young daughter who drowned one year earlier. She tells this story after we hear about the ghosts that plague the town.

Works Cited

Headrick, Charlotte. "Ireland: between history and memory." evergreens.edu. Thomson Gale, 2004. Web. 3 May 2011. .

Blackwell, Amy, and Ryan Hackney. "Ireland's Rich Folklore Heritage." netplaces. The New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 3 May 2011. .

"The Weir." Internet Broadway Database. N.p., 2010. Web. 3 May 2011. .

Haughey, Paul, Cormac O'Brien, and Josh Tobiessen. "Struggling Toward a Future: Irish Theater Today." New Hibernia Review 5.2 (2001): 126-33. Print.

Wood, Gerald C. Conor McPherson: Imagining Mischief. Dublin: Liffey, 2003. Print.

Love's Last Shift by Colley Cibber

Colley Cibber :

Born November 6^th, 1671 on Southampton Street near present day Bloomsbury, a “suburb” of London, this man, noted as restless, impulsive, and gifted, he began acting at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane around the age of 18. He started out as a spear carrier and with a couple years of work inched his way to more prominent roles within the theater. His first play, Love’s Last Shift, premiered at the Theatre Royal in January 1969. He also acted in his own written work along with his wife and mentors of years past.

Later on in his life, Cibber became a popular comedian, he continued to wrote and adapt plays, and became a successful businessman. He also gained the title of Poet Laureate, a position appointed by government where the bearer is expected to write poetry for government events. He was a bit of a gambler and was often suspected by his peers and enemies of being involved in shady business deals. He died in London around December of 1757.

Summary:

Loves Last Shift begins with Loveless, who has just returned to Town after 10 years, talking to Young Worthy about his travels. Loveless originally left because he got bored of his wife, Amanda, whom he now believes dead. In the meantime, Hillaria and Narcissa discuss their wedding plans with Amanda. They both plan to marry one of the Worthy brothers, but not the one Sir William, Narcissa’s father and Hillaria’s uncle, intends for them. Upon hearing of her husbands return, Amanda plots to seduce him as a mistress in order to prove to him that he still loves her. Older and Younger Worthy also plan their weddings to the women of Sir William’s household, being obstructed by Sir Novelty Fashion, a flirtatious man of the Town who has an angry mistress of his own. Everything works out however, with all the young lovers marrying their love. Sir William is unhappy at first, since his daughter marries Young Worthy, who does not inherit his father’s estate, but he soon is talked down. He did not agree for them to marry, but was tricked into it with the help of the lawyer. Loveless realizes he does indeed love his wife, and agrees to go back to her. Sir Novelty ends up alone, and Young Worthy’s servant, who compromised a maid in Amanda’s household, marries the maid. Everything works out with much comedy in the meantime.

Dramatis persona

Loveless: Married but then grew tired of his wife, Amanda, and left to wander about and squander his money for 10 years, leaving him poor, and starving, causing him to have returned home to England at the opening of the play.

Snap: Loveless’ servant, tells it like it is, having put up with Loveless’ antics for a long time, and tends to behave much like his master.

Young Worthy: An old friend of Loveless’, who Snap used to work for, wooer of Narcissa, but considered unworthy to wed her by Sir William.

Elder Worthy: brother to Young Worthy, wooer of Hillaria, inheritor of his father’s estate, the man Sir William wants to marry Narcissa.

Hillaria: Niece of Sir William, wooed by Elder Worthy, friend of Amanda and cousin of Narcissa, has a sharp tongue that she uses on Elder Worthy to hide her feelings.

Narcissa: Daughter of Sir William, wooed by Young Worthy and Sir Novelty, inheritor of her father’s estate, friend of Amanda and cousin of Hillaria.

Amanda: Wife of Loveless, still mourning his abandonment, recent inheritor of her uncle’s estate, has a plan to woo her husband back to her arms.

Sir Novelty Fashion: A flirtatious man in Town who dresses over the top in the latest fashions and flirts shamelessly with Narcissa despite having a long-term mistress.

Sir William Wisewoud: the knight Loveless mortgaged his estate to, father of Narcissa and uncle of Hillaria. He has offered the future husband of Narcissa quite a dowery, and intends for her to marry Elder Worthy.

Mrs. Flariet: A long-time mistress of Sir Novelty, jealous of his affections for Narcissa.

Sly: Servant to Young Worthy who assists in Amanda’s plan to woo back Loveless.

A lawyer, assorted footmen, servants, porters, maids, etc. to the various aforementioned characters

English Restoration

There was a Civil War in England in the year 1642. As a result, King Charles I was decapitated and Charles II was exiled to France. Oliver Cromwell successfully toppled the English monarchy, and he ruled England for the next 11 years. England was then referred to as the Commonwealth, and Oliver wanted to hand the kingdom over to his son Richard Cromwell. When Richard Cromwell proved that he could not bring the various factions in England together peacefully, he was forced to abdicate his position, and Charles II was asked to come back and rule England in 1660. Charles II reinstated the monarchy.

When Oliver Cromwell ruled, the nation was under heavy Puritan rule. Theater was outlawed during this time. However, Charles II became accustomed to French theater while he was in France. Thus, he reinstated theater when he regained the throne. English Restoration started around 1660 and ended around 1694.

During this period, women started acting. Previously, little boys played the roles of boys because acting was so sinful that it defiled women. However, Charles II enjoyed watching French actresses, and women were allowed to act in England. Each actor or actress mastered acting as only one stock character. Stock characters were stereotypes of the day like rich woman, rake (player), and fop (flamboyant man). Rehearsals for each play lasted for two weeks.

The theater itself had a proscenium arch. Sometimes there were backdrops used a wing and shutter system in order to change scenery. The scenery was always painted in perspective. Costumes usually were contemporary clothing. There was no realistic acting. Overall, English Restoration Theater was very similar to Commedia del Arte in style and acting.

Production History:

Love’s Last Shift premiered in January 1696 at Christopher Rich’s Drury Lane. It was a huge success for the company and the actors involved. Fifteen productions of the play are known from 1700-1710. Since accounting and recording of this time period is unreliable and incomplete, many estimations of production numbers are speculative. For Drury Lane, Love’s Last Shift became a stock comedy piece and was performed once per season for decades. In the period of 1715-1720, rival companies also began to pick up the comedy, producing it a total of 23 times. From 1721-1730, forty six appearances were seen from Drury Lane and Lincoln’s Inn Fields. From 1731-1740 London’s theatres acted Love’s Last Shift sixty nine nights. In 1736, Cibber’s son and daughter starred in a Drury Lane production of the comedy. 227 performances of the play are known, but because record keeping was unreliable, the total is probably higher. In 2009, Love’s Last Shift was produced by White Bear Theatre Club in England, directed by Matthew Butler and Dominic Rouse.

The Croxton Play of the Sacrament

Group Members: Elizabeth Cowan, Jennie Garland, Sophie Mauffray-Howell, and Jordon Corbin

Plot Summary

The vexillators (vexillators are banner-bearers in a mystery play, sort of the “narrators”) begin by giving a short summary of the play:

In Aragon, Jonathas offers Aristorius (a Christian merchant) 20 pounds and some merchandise in exchange for a consecrated host (the flesh of Christ). Aristorius refuses Jonathas unless he agrees to pay 100 pounds. Upon paying the requested amount, Jonathas, and his accomplices begin to “test” the host by pinning it to a pillar, then boiling it in a cauldron of oil, then putting it in an oven, which later explodes. The image of Christ appears to the Jews, and they repent of their sins.

The vexillators then issue a warning to the audience, pleading with them to never doubt Christ. The vexillators announce that the play will take place in Croxton, and the play proper begins.

Aristorius proclaims his successes as a merchant, and he thanks God for allowing him to sell his goods throughout the land. A priest enters, and he affirms Aristorius in his successes, allowing how he will do whatever is in his power to aid him. Jonathas enters, thanking Mohammed for all the many things he possesses. Then he speaks of his discussions with Jason and Jasdon about how ridiculous it is for Christian men to “beleve on a cake;” In other words, the consecrated host. Jonathas, Jason, and Jasdon have expressed desires to desecrate a host in the name of their god, so they discuss ways of procuring one.

They visit Aristorius, to an effort to buy the host. Aristorius resists until Jonathas agrees to pay his higher asking price. Aristorius is afraid of being caught stealing the host, but Jonathas convinces him, telling him to go out into the night. Aristorius gives the priest wine, to help him fall asleep; he steals the host, and delivers it to Jonathas.

The Jews, now including Malcus and Masphat discuss what they think Christians believe, and decide it is heresy against their god. The four Jews decide to stab the host to see whether or not it will bleed; and it does. Jonathas is terrified upon seeing the blood, so the Jews decide to boil the host in a pot of oil for three hours. Jonathas tries to throw the host in the oil, but it clings to his hand. He becomes even more afraid, and announces that the host is hurting him now. He tries to get rid of it by dissolving it in water. The remaining three Jews find him, and suggest pinning the host to a post, so they may be able to pull Jonathas away from it. As they put this plan into action, they pull his arm off, and the host still remains attached to his hand. Jonathas announces he can take no more of this, everyone is to return to their chambers, and everyone is ordered to keep their actions a secret.

Colle and Master Brundiche enter, and they have a lengthy conversation where it is revealed that Master Brundiche is a crooked physician, often making his patients ill again just to treat them for their money. Master Brundiche asks Colle if there is anyone nearby in need of his services. Colle tells Master Brundiche about Jonathas’s predicament. Master Brundiche approaches Jonathas avidly seeking to treat him, but Jonathas sends him away.

Jonathas orders the others to remove the nails from the host and cast it in the cauldron. Upon casting the host into the cauldron, the oil turns into blood, and it begins spilling over the top. Jonathas then orders them to heat the oven, and cast the host in it. The oven oozes blood and begins to writhe until it explodes. After the explosion, an image of Christ appears to them.

Christ pleads with them, asking why they despise him so much. He blames them for their desecration of his body both now, and in the past (the sins of their forefathers). He says he will still be merciful to the Jews, ever after they sinned against him in such a blasphemous way. They each repent of their sins, and Jesus tells Jonathas his hand will be restored if he dips it into the cauldron of his blood; Jonathas does so, and his arm is indeed healed.

Jonathas confesses their sins to the Bishop, and the Bishop orders them to take him to the image of Christ. After the Bishop addresses the image of Christ, he is transformed back into bread. The Bishop praises Christ for a few moments, then a singing procession escorts the host back to the church.

Meanwhile, Aristorius feels guilty and confesses his sins to the priest, they all go to the Bishop to ask for forgiveness.

Everyone meets in the church, where a sermon is delivered. The Jews convert, and basically go through all the Rites of Christian Initiation. The Jews proclaim their belief in the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Thus ending the play.

Authorial Background

The author of Croxton Play of the Sacrament is unknown. The play was written in England during the mid fifteenth century. At this time, the church was marked by intolerance and segregation. The Catholic Church also harbored strong anti-Semitic feelings. These feelings of anti-Semitism were especially relevant in Bury St. Edmunds, where it is thought the play was originally performed. Jewish people were expelled from Bury St. Edmunds in 1190 following a series of accusations that the Jews were martyring people who were not a part of the Jewish community.

Historical Background

The Croxton Play of the Sacrament was written not long after 1461 when the play takes place. Although this is a medieval play it does not fit into any particular mold or genre of medieval performance. The play is often listed as a saint’s play but the absence of a saint makes this hard to stand by. However the play does share the same concerns of saint’s play such as miracles and conversion. Through extensive historical readings it has been decided that the play was most likely written for and directed towards the merchants of the region of England that the play refers to. This same region of England was most likely the location of it’s original performances. Research on fifteenth-century East Anglican society and a deep investigation of the text shows that these original audiences were made up of Norfolk merchants “and those familiar with the daily commercial and religious practices of those merchants.” The play may have its own unique style but it remains “typical thematically of the culture that produced it” (Medieval Studies at Cornell).

Dramatis Personae

Vexillators 1&2: Men who carry banners from the wings and announce the play

Episcopus: The Bishop

Aristorius: Christian merchant who Jonathas tries to buy the host from. In some ways he resembles Judas, because he sells Christ’s body to the Jews.

Presbyter: A Priest named Isoder. He is Aristorius’ chaplain.

Clericus: A clerk named Peter Paul who is a part of the deal when Jonathas tries to buy the host from Aristorius.

Jonathas: Jewish merchant that asks Aristorius, a Christian man, to let him test the host to see if it is really the body of Jesus Christ. “The first Jew, Master”

Jason: “The second Jew”; coconspirator of Jonathas

Jasdon: “The third Jew”; coconspirator of Jonathas

Masphat: “The fourth Jew”; coconspirator of Jonathas

Malchus: “The fifth Jew”; coconspirator of Jonathas

Brundyche: Doctor known for his drunkenness and debauchery. He enters with his servant, Colle, for a moment of comic relief when the host is stuck to Jonathas’ hand.

Colle: Brundyche’s servant who airs all of his dirty laundry in a very gritty monologue.

Production History

Miracle Plays / Mystery plays are a form of medieval drama that came from presenting the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. Developed in the 10th Century, Mystery plays were a common occurrence until the sixteenth century, reaching their peak in the fifteenth century. The plays in time were moved to church yards and market places so that many people could see them on festival days. In 1210, the pope banned members of the clergy from acting on a public stage thus the supervision and control of the plays passed into the hands of the town guilds. When this change occurred, many aspects of the production of the play changed as well. The plays were spoken in Latin, but the guilds changed the language of the play to the common vernacular. Scenes that were not from the Bible were inserted. The production became more dramatic. Characterization and details of the characters became more important.

Since the plays were arranged in festival order, each guild was responsible for producing a certain play for the current festival especially for the feast Corpus Christi which lasted from sunrise to sunset. On this day, each guild had to produce a certain episode for that day. Using simple costumes and props guild members who were paid actors performed on stages equipped with wheels so that after a production that stage could be wheeled to the next show location. Actors were sometimes fined for bad acting and showing up late. The production soon became comical at times and developed into profitable outlets for guilds regardless of the festival season. Named after the town that they were performed in, Miracle plays were broken into production cycles. The principle English cycle of the plays were the York Plays (1430–40), the longest, containing 48 plays; the Towneley or Wakefield Plays (c.1450, in Yorkshire); the Coventry Plays (1468); and the Chester Plays (1475–1500).

Bibliography

Bale, Anthony. "Programme Notes: Croxton Play of the Sacrament." January 2010. Thynke Byggly Theatre Company, University of London. 1 May 2011 .

This is a show suggestion, in which the director asked for historical-to-present day relevance to be represented by Anthony Bale. Bale views it as "a mistake to see the Croxton Play as anti-Jewish propaganda." Bale, instead, suggests the play can be viewed as a modern interpretation of the still unresolved issues between nations. Though the Jews in this play are obviously portrayed in a poor light, they are not completely virtuous either. Instead of considering the beliefs the Catholics truly consider to be sacred, they openly mock a tradition without bothering to learn the meaning behind it. Bale suggests this is an example of co-misunderstanding between two groups; though the play is grossly anti-Semitic as a whole, it is also an example of intolerance from unexpected points of view.

Erler, Mary C. "Spectacle and Sacrament: A London Parish Play in the 1530s." Modern Philology (1994): 449-454.

This article is about conversion plays, and how vital the roles of the converts were to the church. Plays including the characters: St. Longinus, a blind knight in tradition, that Jesus healed when his blood anointed his eyes; St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Paul, were often recorded as having special actors hired to play their roles (450). Later, the article mentions the directions Christ gives Jonathas if he wishes to have his hand restored in Croxton Play of the Sacrament, which is to plunge his hand in a cauldron of his blood. Erler compares this to the moment Longinus is healed when he receives the anointing of Christ with his blood, and recalls Jonathas’s story as one of the indirect convert.

Lampert, Lisa. "The once and future Jew: Croxton Play of the Sacrament, little Robert of Bury and historical memory." Jewish History (2001): 325.

This article suggests the desecration of the holy host in Croxton Play of the Sacrament is intended to be a literal reenactment of the Passion of the Christ. In having the Jews desecrate the holy host, the audience receives the notion that the Jews are “forever crucifying Christ,” perpetuating a popular mindset of the time, that the Jewish people are perpetually plotting against Christendom (235).

Maltman, Sister Nicholas. "Meaning and Art in the Croxton Play of the Sacrament." ELH (1974): 151-164.

This article is a Sister’s defense against those who say the play merits nothing of artistic value. Though she agrees that portraying the Jewish population as evil is not favorable, she asks the readers to look at the complicated format the play itself is written in, and to appreciate the art in the structure of the play. She says the play is written in such a way, that it mimics the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Holy Week liturgy, without directly saying “this is a dramatization of the Holy Week liturgy (151);” a feat she feels should be appreciated.

Stevens, Martin. "The Theatre of the World: A Study in Medieval Dramatic Form." The Chaucer Review (1973): 237-8.

This article cites the Croxton Play of the Sacrament as an example of a medieval conversion play in which the text does not follow the typical structure of the genre (238). A conversion play typically features a protagonist who struggles with sin, but eventually “converts” to God’s ways (237). Martin writes about the play’s inability to stand next to other works written during this, and maintain artistic credibility.

Normington, Katie. Medieval English Drama: Performance and Spectatorship. Cambridge: Polity, 2009. Print.

In this monograph, Katie Normington discusses the aspects of medieval life and the impact they had on the dramatic literature of that time. She focuses on the idea of ‘spectatorship’ as it relates to Drama of Enclosure, Drama of Inclusion, Drama and the City, Drama in the City, Fixed-Place Drama, and Indoor Drama, which are all types of medieval drama. In addition to touching on how the different types of drama were viewed and in what context, Normington also discusses the impact of social hierarchy, religion and feelings of nationality on these different types of literature. The book notes that there were great feelings of segregation in the church not only between different religions but also between different sexes and social classes. Another thing that is very important to note about medieval English drama is a very strong sense of nationalism. In the time spanning from 1000-1550 over thirty different rulers held power in England. While not all of them were well liked, during this time the people of England gained their identity as a country as well as a sense of pride to go with it.

Beadle, Richard, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre. Cambridge, England: Cambridge UP, 1994. Print.

The Cambridge Compainion to Medieval English Theatre focuses on the main components of medieval drama. The book delves into the different play cycles in medieval literature and explains characteristics and commonalities within each cycle. It also touches on Morality and Saints’ Plays. The common theme in almost all of these is that good is rewarded while evil will be punished. The book also noted that although scripts of the dramas are still around, there are few historical records to give insight into the artistic context in which some of the plays were done. The author notes that without such context, it can be difficult to know what genre to place a particular play under.

BUG

BUG

Tracy Letts was born on July 4, 1965, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of author Billie Letts and actor Dennis Letts. He was raised in Durant, Oklahoma and eventually moved to Dallas in the early 1980s when he began his acting career. He was cast in Jerry Flemmons’ O Dammit, and eventually moved to Chicago at age 20. He has been a member of the Steppenwolf ensemble since 2002 and is still an active member. He has written 5 plays, with August: Osage County, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2008.

Bug premiered in London at the Gate Theatre on September 20, 1996. Following its run in London, the play premiered in the United States at the Whoolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington D.C. around March/April of 2000. The play received numerous awards including 4 Lucille Lortel awards in 2004, for outstanding play, Director, lighting design and sound design. A film adaptation was made in 2006.

1. What kind of similarities can be drawn when comparing Bug to Killer Joe?

2. It is important to note the constant use of drugs throughout the play; to what degree do you feel this impacted the events that played out during the play?

3. What percentage of Peter’s claims do you believe were true? For example, his claim that he was programmed with Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City bombings, and his claim of being tracked by the government.

4. The term “bug” is used in nearly every sense imaginable throughout the script. What is the significance of this in your opinion? Is it the depth of the term’s symbolism or its many different possible meanings?

5. Do you believe that Dr. Sweet was really a doctor who performed tests on Peter? If not, then give your opinion about what you feel he was.

6. How does Peter use fear to trap Agnes into his own paranoia? One example to look at would be his use of her abducted child as proof that he is correct about his conspiracy theory. Try to find other examples as well.

7. What do you feel is the overall theme of the play? If there are multiple themes then explain how they interact with one another.

8. Why did Peter finally go completely insane after meeting Agnes? He had been paranoid for many years and had the opportunity to find numerous other women to be “matched” with. Why was Agnes different and why did she end up being the catalyst for this insanity to finally climax?

How I Learned to Drive

1. 1. At what point in Li’l Bit’s life do you think Uncle Peck started to desire her sexually? Do you think he desired her before she was a pre-teen?

2. Li’l Bit’s family frequently talks and jokes about sex. What influence do you think this had on Li’l Bit allowing Uncle Peck to have a relationship with her?

3. What do you think would have happened to Li’l Bit and Uncle Peck if she had admitted to having feelings for him in the hotel room?

4. When Li’l Bit is 11 and wants to go to the beach with Uncle Peck, her mother refuses. She eventually lets her go but tells Li’l Bit that if anything happens she’s going to hold Li’l Bit responsible. How do you think this affected Li’l Bit as her relationship with Uncle Peck progressed? Do you think she felt responsible for his actions?

5. After losing contact with Li’l Bit, Uncle Peck becomes an alcoholic again and divorces Aunt Mary. Even though they are divorced she continues to bring him food. Why do you think this is? Do you think she knew about his relationship with Li’l Bit?

6. The character of Li’l Bit changes ages frequently throughout the play. How would you deal with this in casting?

7. If you were staging this production, how would you stage the scenes with the car?

8. Do you think Uncle Peck genuinely loved and cared for Li’l Bit, or was he just trying to manipulate her sexually? How do you think Uncle Peck’s story about fishing relates to this?

“How I Learned to Drive” was written by American playwright Paula Vogel and premiered off Broadway in February on 1997 at the Vineyard Theater. The play received the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1998. It also won the Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, the New York Drama Critics Awards for Best Play, and an OBIE. Vogel was born in Washington D.C. in 1951 and is a graduate of Cornell University. She is married to Brown University professor Anne Fausto-Sterling and now directs the MFA playwriting program at Brown. She has written many notable plays including “The Baltimore Waltz”, “Hot ‘N Throbbing”, and “The Oldest Profession”. Her writing tends to deal with sensitive, often sexual issues. She has said the she only deals with issues that have directly affected her life in some way, such as her brother’s death from AIDS in 1988. She often uses the emotions and situations of her plays to create a character. Vogel uses many theatrical devices in her writing such as dream sequences and addressing the audience directly. She wants each piece to have a distinct texture.