John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger is one of the landmark plays of twentieth century British theatre. Since its premiere at the Royal Court theatre in May 1956, it has been defined as marking a breakthrough in dramatic style and subject matter, its frank depiction of a generation of disaffected youth and its working-class setting inspiring a group of writers who would also be labelled angry young men. In the words of the writer Alan Sillitoe, in Look Back in Anger, “John Osborne didn’t just contribute to British theatre, he set off a landmine…and blew most of it up.”
In the nearly eighty years since its premiere, the seminal role of the volatile Jimmy Porter has attracted many renowned actors, including Michael Sheen, Kenneth Branagh, and David Tennant, and as we record this episode the first revival in London for twenty-five years is on stage at the Almeida theatre, directed by Atri Banerjee, and with Billy Howle playing Jimmy.
Given the iconic reputation of this play, I am very keen to explore how well it stands the test of time. Is Jimmy’s dangerous anger still relatable, or even acceptable?
I’m very glad to have not one but two experts who are well qualified to help us address this question and more. First, is Dan Rebellato, Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London, and author of 1956 and All That: The Making of Modern British Drama, which takes a forensic look at how Look Back in Anger emerged in its time. Dan has appeared on the podcast three times previously, having joined me on our very first episode on A Doll’s House, as well as on our episodes on Terence Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea and Chekhov’s The Seagull.
My second guest is the director of the current revival of Look Back in Anger at the Almeida here in London, Atri Banerjee
