British Theatre of the 1990s

NEIL BARTLETT Playwright, novelist, actor, performer, director and translatorMICHAEL BILLINGTON Drama critic for The Guardian and authorMARTIN CRIMP PlaywrightSTEPHEN DALDRY Theatre and film director (ex-Artistic Director of the Royal Court, London; films include Billy Elliot and The Hours)NICHOLAS de JONGH Theatre critic for the Evening Standard and writerKEVIN ELYOT Playwright for theatre and television screenwriterJOE PENHALL PlaywrightMARK RAVENHILL Well-known playwrightDAN REBELLATO Professor of Contemporary Theatre, Royal Holloway, University of London, UKIAN RICKSON Current Artistic Director of the Royal Court, LondonGRAHAM SAUNDERS Lecturer in Theatre Studies, University of Reading, UKALEKS SIERZ Freelance writer, journalist, critic and broadcasterALAN SINFIELD Professor of English, University of Sussex, UKMAX STAFFORD-CLARK Theatre director (ex-Artistic Director of the Royal Court and founder of the touring theatre company Out of Joint)

• Acknowledgements Notes on Editors/Interviewers Introduction PART I: Directors Stephen Daldry Ian Rickson Max Stafford-Clark PART II: Playwrights Neil Bartlett Martin Crimp Kevin Elyot Joe Penhall Mark Ravenhill PART III: Critics Michael Billington Nicholas de Jongh Aleks Sierz PART IV: Academics Dan Rebellato Graham Saunders Alan Sinfield Index

"Between them, Max Stafford-Clark, Stephen Daldry and Ian Rickson, in chronological order of directorship but not interview, present a great overview of the theatre that certainly in the mid-and late-1990s became the powerhouse of new British writing and in particular, in-yer-face following the thrilling impact of Sarah Kane and Blasted." "This is a book that contains much of interest to those who love theatre in this country." "British Theatre of the 1990s is of particular value because it documents the Sarah Kane and in-yer-face phenomena from numerous angles, takes a good look at gay and queer theatre and makes a strong case for the Royal Court as the leader of what in retrospect and even at the time seemed like an extremely exciting period for theatre in Great Britain. " - Philip Fisher - The British Theatre Guide "offer(s) an engaging and perceptive account of the period as well as reflections on earlier influences...It will interest academics, theatre professionals and a general readership who want to enhance their understanding of this particular historical terrain of British theatre and the perspectives of respected cultural commentators and practitioners." - Nadine Holdsworth Contemporary Theatre Review