The Wilderness: an original stage play and critical analysis

[摘要] The Wilderness is an original stage play exploring the inextricable ties between past and present and the theme of loss, and being lost. It focuses on Holly, a young woman who feels that her life has no meaning; in an attempt to remedy this she travels to Eastern Europe in search of her ancestors. As Holly travels eastward the story of her great-grandfather’s journey westward over a hundred years earlier simultaneously unfolds; the two paths weave and intertwine and the audience is guided down each by the storytellers, Movsha and Naftolia. As each story draws to a climax, the unexpected effects of the past on the present are made devastatingly clear to Holly; she begins to realise what it is to have a meaningful life, but at far greater cost than she had foreseen. The accompanying critical analysis examines the craft of playwriting with the writing process of The Wilderness as central case study. It details the development of the play from initial conception to final draft.

[发布机构] University:University of Birmingham;Department:School of English, Drama and American & Canadian Studies, Department of Drama and Theatre Arts

[关键词] P Language and Literature;PN Literature (General);PN2000 Dramatic representation. The Theater