Synopses & Reviews
Sean O'Casey Plays 2, introduced by Arthur Miller, documents O'Casey's transition from realism to his use of expressionism and symbolism.
The Shadow of the Gunman and The Plough with Stars, two installments in the Dublin Trilogy, give a realistic look at life in the slums of Dublin. Meanwhile, The Silver Tassie, originally rejected by William Bulter Yeats (director of the Abbey Threatre), is a tragicomedy based on the cruel horrors of World War I. It shows the price which the common people have to pay for the stupidities of war. Purple Dust and Hell and Healing are also included in this volume which show O'Casey's use of expressionism and symbolism.
Synopsis
The first production in 1926 of The Plough and the Stars at Dublin's Abbey Theatre met with rioting in the streets, as a result of the play's (wrongly) alleged anti-Irish sentiment. Still, it remains one of the great classics not only of Irish drama but of the twentieth century.
The Shadow of a Gunman was O'Casey's first play and established his relationship with the Abbey Theatre, a centerpiece of the Irish Renaissance. The Silver Tassie, Purple Dust and Hall of Healing are from among his later works.
About the Author
Sean O'Casey was born on March 30, 1880 in Dublin, Ireland. His first plays,
The Shadow of a Gunman,
Juno and the Paycock, and
The Plough and the Stars, also known as the Dublin Trilogy, were performed at the Abbey Theatre with great success; these plays are collected in one volume called
The Dublin Trilogy, which is available exculsively from Faber & Faber. His many works include
The Star Turned Red,
The Silver Tassie, and
Purple Dust. He died on September 18, 1964.
Table of Contents
1. Juno and the paycock. Within the gates. Red roses for me. Cock-a-doodle dandy -- 2. The shadow of a gunman. The plough and the stars. The silver tassie. Purple dust. Hall of healing.