Not in Front of the Audience is a pioneering and important study of a neglected terrain, examining the way in which the theatres of London and New York have reflected contemporary social and cultural attitudes to 'gay men' and homosexuality.
In the 1920s and 1930s the theatre represented homosexuals as either corrupt, or morally pitiful. During the Cold War, under the influence of McCarthyism, homosexuality was perceived as not only morally reprehensible but also politically dangerous and the theatre dutifully reflected such perceptions. Until 1958, direct discussion or depiction of homosexuality was banned from the stage in Britain. But by the late 1960s the theatres of London and New York had begun to confront the issue of heterosexual prejudice and its devastating impact upon the lives of gay men and lesbians. In the wake of the AIDS epidemic, the author concludes, the representation of homosexuality in the theatre has again become an urgent and highly charged issue.
1 FROM THE PLAYHOUSE TO THE OLD BAILEY, 2 THE DEVIANT, THE DAMNED AND THE DANDIFIED: 1925–1939, 3 THE ENEMY WITHIN: 1949–1958, 4 OUT OF BONDAGE TOWARDS BEING: 1958– 1969, 5 ‘SIMPLY THE THING I AM SHALL MAKE ME LIVE’: 1969–1981, 6 THE RETURN OF THE OUTCAST: 1981–1985
Biography
Nicholas de Jongh is very well known as arts correspondent, theatre critic and arts feature writer for The Guardian, he has recently moved to The Evening Standard
`A lucid, well-argued and entertaining read that takes us from the prosecution of Oscar Wilde to the AIDS plays of the early-80s...' - The LIST
`Careful, detailed and important - an insider's view, with all the insight and engaging tittle-tattle that brings.' - The Times
`At long last, dramatists are proud to be openly gay. To appreciate the bravery and maturity of their achievement, you should remember their predecessors, whom Not In Front Of The Audience deftly exposes.' - The Guardian
