Posh
Laura Wade author Henry Bell editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:22nd Feb '24
Should be back in stock very soon
An apparent spoof on Oxford's notorious Bullingdon Club, Posh is a satiric play about power, politics and privilege, and how all of these interact within British institutions. It is published here as a Methuen Drama Student Edition.
In an oak-panelled room in a rural Oxford gastropub, ten young undergraduates with cut-glass vowels and deep pockets are meeting, intent on restoring their right to rule - and on getting totally "chatueaued". Members of The Riot Club, an elite student dining society, the fraternity starts to fray when they discover they're a guinea-fowl short and the prostitute they've hired is suddenly banished. An apparent spoof on Oxford's notorious Bullingdon Club, whose past members include Boris Johnson, George Osborne and David Cameron, Posh is a satirical play about power, politics and privilege, and how these elements interact within British institutions. The play is published here as a Methuen Drama Student Edition with commentary and notes by Henry Bell. Posh premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2010 and two years later opened in the West End. It was nominated for Best New Play at both the Evening Standard Awards and for the Theatregoers' Choice Awards. It was subsequently made into a film called The Riot Club (2014), starring Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth.
While Wade's play reminds us that many of the upper-class continue to enjoy the sound of broken glass, its success lies in harpooning the way power operates through a succession of nods and winks in our supposedly open, egalitarian society. -- Michael Billington * Guardian *
What an outstanding talent ... Her feel for character is exceptionally keen and she also writes excellent gags. * Spectator *
Nearly a decade on from its blistering Royal Court premiere and subsequent West End transfer, Laura Wade's incisive dissection of the entitled upper classes in their Oxford University playground feels as relevant and disquieting as ever ... As a piece of political theatre, the message is blunt to the point of brutal. These people – with their expectation to rule; their conviction that money can buy them out of any problem, and their inherent, blind faith in their own superiority – are pretty despicable characters and we trust them with the future of the nation at our own peril ... Perhaps it should even be compulsory viewing for members of the government. -- Michael Davies * Whatsonstage *
A beautifully presented educational edition of Laura Wade’s 2010 play … A well-thought-out and thoroughly researched introductory section (written by Henry Bell) that not only familiarises students with the play but also discusses all elements of theatre production, making it very useful for both teachers and students alike. * Everything Theatre *
ISBN: 9781350235762
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
176 pages