The play, first performed in 1965, is a dark farce that satirizes the Roman Catholic Church, the rituals of bereavement, and the integrity of the British police force.Hal and Dennis rob the bank next to the funeral parlour where Dennis works and return to Hal’s home to hide the money. Since Hal’s mother has just […]
1970 – “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller
In 1953, when the play was first performed, the United States were deep in the throes of the Red Scare. Senator Joseph McCarthy led a witch hunt against supposed communists, targeting various celebrities, government officials, and even writers and actors, many of whom were blacklisted because of their alleged ties to the Communist party. Miller […]
1969 – “Arms and the Man” by George Bernard Shaw
First produced in 1885, this mild satire, the first of Shaw’s”Plays Pleasant”, is set in the Petkoff household in Bulgaria in 1885 and highlights the illusions of war, romance and class. Captain Bluntschli, a battle-weary Swiss mercenary fighting for the Serbian army, takes refuge in Raina Petkoff’s bedchamber, where she hides him from the authorities […]