{"product_id":"9781350135079","title":"Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil 60 Years of Modern Plays","description":"\u003ch3\u003eModern Plays\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch1\u003eCheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch2\u003e60 Years of Modern Plays\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eJohn McGrath\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerforming Arts \/ Theater \/ Playwriting\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eIt's a story that has a beginning, a middle, but as yet, no end. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJohn McGrath's winding, furious, innovative play tracks the economic history and exploitation of the Scottish Highlands from the post-Rebellion suppression of the clans to the story of the Clearances: in the 19th century, aristocratic landowners discovered the profitability of sheep farming, and forced a mass emigration of rural Highlanders, burning their houses in order to make way for the Cheviot sheep. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDescribed by the playwright as having a “ceilidh” format, \u003ci\u003eThe Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil\u003c\/i\u003e draws on historical research alongside Gaelic song and the Scots' love of variety and popular entertainment to tell this epic story. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA totally distinctive cultural and theatrical phenomenon, the play championed several new approaches to theatre, raising its profile as a means of political intervention; proposing a collective and collaborative approach to creating theatre; offering a language of performance accessible to working-class people; producing theatre in non-purpose-built theatre spaces; breaking down the barrier between audience and performers through interaction; and taking theatre to people who otherwise would not access it. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe play received its premiere in 1973 by the agit-prop theatre group 7:84. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMethuen Drama's iconic Modern Plays series began in 1959 with the publication of Shelagh Delaney's \u003ci\u003eA Taste of Honey\u003c\/i\u003e and has grown over six decades to now include more than 1000 plays by some of the best writers from around the world. This new special edition hardback of \u003ci\u003eThe Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil\u003c\/i\u003e was published to celebrate 60 years of Methuen Drama's Modern Plays in 2019, chosen by a public vote and features a new foreword by Kate McGrath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eJohn McGrath\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, in 1935. After national service and Oxford University, he wrote and directed for theatre and television, as well as writing for cinema. Early work included \u003ci\u003eZ-Cars\u003c\/i\u003e for BBC-TV (1962), \u003ci\u003eEvents While Guarding the Bofors Gun\u003c\/i\u003e (1966) and the screenplay for \u003ci\u003eBillion Dollar Brain\u003c\/i\u003e (1976). In 1971, together with Elizabeth MacLennan, he co-founded the 7:84 Theatre Company, which divided into Scottish and English companies in 1973 with McGrath remaining as Artistic Director of both. During his career McGrath wrote over 60 plays, including \u003ci\u003eFish in the Sea\u003c\/i\u003e(1972), \u003ci\u003eThe Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil \u003c\/i\u003e(1973), \u003ci\u003eBlood Red Roses\u003c\/i\u003e (1980), \u003ci\u003eBorder Warfare\u003c\/i\u003e (1989), \u003ci\u003eWatching for Dolphins\u003c\/i\u003e (1992) and, most recently, \u003ci\u003eHyperLynx \u003c\/i\u003e(2001). He was twice Visiting Fellow in Theatre at Cambridge University. His previous books include \u003ci\u003eA Good Night Out\u003c\/i\u003e(1981), \u003ci\u003eThe Bone Won't Break\u003c\/i\u003e (1990) and \u003ci\u003eSix Pack: Plays for Scotland\u003c\/i\u003e (1996).\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e04 November 2019\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMethuen Drama\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9781350135079\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e104\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51332729503884,"sku":"9781350135079","price":21.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/9545\/1788\/files\/getimage_56e4dc72-e211-4161-a4fb-23c0674d1b86.jpg?v=1783605341","url":"https:\/\/lateknightbooks.com\/products\/9781350135079","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}