Madam, – As someone who teaches, directs and writes professionally, I would like to take issue with what I see as something of an apology for the lack of political examination in the modern theatre in Ireland in Fintan O’Toole’s Saturday column (Weekend Review).
I have no objection to metaphor, in fact I applaud it, but the fact that many of Shakespeare’s plays were set in the past or in different countries was not just a matter of the effectiveness of metaphor. It was to disguise political criticism. If anything politically challenging was said too overtly then the result would have been the closure of the theatre and the possible imprisonment of those concerned.
Shakespeare had a narrow squeak in this regard, with a revival of Richard II which was to coincide with a rebellion against Elizabeth, as I am sure Mr O’Toole is aware.
So I am afraid this does not indemnify the Irish theatre scene regarding political theatre.
The argument of playwrights seeing the present as a result of the past and reaching back is a valid and vital creative expression, but it should not be the only way to deal with the world we live in now. In fact, it might be considered elitist because it is hidden.
The “baroque complexity” of “refracting stories” might be interesting enough, but it is also an effective way to disguise or hide what might be screaming to be spoken. – Yours, etc,