The Theatre of Frank McGuinness: Stages of Mutability

This is the first edited collection of essays about Frank McGuinness, the internationally renowned Irish playwright. His first play, Factory Girls (1982), explored the world of exploitation and diminished expectations. Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (1985), a caustic look at the Catholic and republican state in southern Ireland, won the London Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright Award. His most recent play, Gates of Gold, is about the love affair between the founders of the Gate Theatre, Michael MacLiammoir and Hilton Edwards. Focusing on both performance and text, these essays come to diverse conclusions, creating a vigorous dialogue that enriches understanding and reflects a strong consensus about the value of McGuinness's complex work.