Theatre, Society and the Nation : Staging American Identities

Rating:
Summary: A history of the politics of American culture
Review: S.E.Wilmer's recently published book "Theatre, Society and the Nation: Staging American Identities", is a very enlightening - and enlightened - overview of the evolution of American theatre and drama, as it relates to key moments in American history. The author, professor of Drama at Trinity College Dublin, focuses on the ways in which theatre has served as "a political and ideological tool to help reconfigure the nation", either by representing or by challenging notions of national identity. In this excellent book Wilmer analyzes in depth a number of dramas and live performances representative of specific political and social movements in the United States of America, starting from the period preceding the War of Independence and going all the way to the 1990s. Theatre is explored as a political tool, whether in the hands of the dominant groups, or in those of marginalized minorities.
But the most amazing thing about Wilmer's endeavor is that, through the lens of theatre, it gives the reader an extremely clear portrait of "american identity" - how it has evolved to its present state, and what it consists of.
As I come from a different culture, this book helped me realize that American identity, as a synthesis of so many heterogenous components coming from various cultures and expressing conflicting political necessities, is much more than what president Bush refers to - and definitely much deeper and wider than what he represents.

Perhaps the most amazing theatrical event described in this book is the Paterson Strike Pageant presented in 1913 in New York: a huge militant theatrical achievement organized by the IWW (Workers' syndicate) and acted by the strikers themselves, who reproduced the actual events that had taken place during their strike at Paterson. Wilmer shows how this pageant, that had been suggested to the worker leaders by a radical rich woman, resulted in a much acclaimed artistic event, which was praised for its aesthetic quality even by conservative newspapers, but did little actual good to the workers themselves, who were eventually forced to go back to work, without having gained anything worthwhile.

This significant book by S.E.Wilmer goes far beyond exploring the history of theatre in America. It actually gives us a history of the politics of American culture itself.

Rating:
Summary: A history of the politics of American culture
Review: S.E.Wilmer?s recently published book "Theatre, Society and the Nation: Staging American Identities", is a very enlightening ? and enlightened ? overview of the evolution of American theatre and drama, as it relates to key moments in American history. The author, professor of Drama at Trinity College Dublin, focuses on the ways in which theatre has served as ?a political and ideological tool to help reconfigure the nation?, either by representing or by challenging notions of national identity. In this excellent book Wilmer analyzes in depth a number of dramas and live performances representative of specific political and social movements in the United States of America, starting from the period preceding the War of Independence and going all the way to the 1990s. Theatre is explored as a political tool, whether in the hands of the dominant groups, or in those of marginalized minorities.
But the most amazing thing about Wilmer?s endeavor is that, through the lens of theatre, it gives the reader an extremely clear portrait of ?american identity? ? how it has evolved to its present state, and what it consists of.
As I come from a different culture, this book helped me realize that American identity, as a synthesis of so many heterogenous components coming from various cultures and expressing conflicting political necessities, is much more than what president Bush refers to ? and definitely much deeper and wider than what he represents.

Perhaps the most amazing theatrical event described in this book is the Paterson Strike Pageant presented in 1913 in New York: a huge militant theatrical achievement organized by the IWW (Workers? syndicate) and acted by the strikers themselves, who reproduced the actual events that had taken place during their strike at Paterson. Wilmer shows how this pageant, that had been suggested to the worker leaders by a radical rich woman, resulted in a much acclaimed artistic event, which was praised for its aesthetic quality even by conservative newspapers, but did little actual good to the workers themselves, who were eventually forced to go back to work, without having gained anything worthwhile.

This significant book by S.E.Wilmer goes far beyond exploring the history of theatre in America. It actually gives us a history of the politics of American culture itself.