That Brazen Electric Strap of a Wan (2016) by Sue Healy, stage play (dir. Adina Levay) at the King’s Head Theatre, Islington, London.
- Submitting institution
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University of Lincoln
- Unit of assessment
- 27 - English Language and Literature
- Output identifier
- 39939
- Type
- T - Other
- DOI
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- Location
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- Brief description of type
- King's Head Theatre
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month
- April
- Year
- 2016
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Set in 2016, Brazen concerns Irish woman, Treas Callaghan, regretting a life following rules and conventions. She hires a gigolo, experiments with hallucinogens and attempts to absorb the spirit of her “brazen” sister, Moll. The play explores and contrasts the oppression of women during this century of Irish freedom, and is influenced by playwrights including Marina Carr and Martin McDonagh.
Written to mark the centenary of Ireland’s Easter Rising, a turbulent episode in Irish history which was followed by civil war, Brazen reconsiders Ireland’s 100-year journey, examining the influence of the Catholic Church, the treatment of women, the LGBTQI community, emigration, the impact of the Troubles, and the Celtic Tiger. Premiered at the King’s Head, London, the play was specifically created to encourage the Irish diaspora in Britain to reflect on their homeland’s journey (comprising 1.4% of its population, England has the world’s highest concentration of Irish-born diaspora). It’s likely these immigrants left an oppressive land a generation ago, only to witness from afar their homeland become a more secular, liberal society. A post-show talk and Q&A session followed the first performance, drawing on the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process (CRP), inviting opinions, asking and answering questions, and eliciting discussion.
Brazen’s sold-out run at The King’s Head Theatre received a page-long spread in The Irish Post, the main newspaper for the Irish diaspora in England (sold in 20,000 commercial outlets). The Embassy of Ireland promoted the play on its social media, as did the Arts & Culture Department at the London Irish Centre, the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith, the Irish Government Emigrant Support Programme, the Irish Arts, the Irish in Britain Organisation and The British Association of Irish Studies. The play was workshopped at the Abbey Theatre (Ireland’s national theatre) and shortlisted for the Eamonn Keane Award.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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