London Theatre In The Political Trenches

London’s theatres and playwrights are actively involved in political commentary, leading criticism of contemporary political leaders. There is “an acceptance of plays and playwrights as vital participants in a national dialogue, something Americans may well marvel at. And it’s not just contemporary playwrights whose voices speak from the opinion pages. An editorial cartoon in The Daily Telegraph showed a brooding Mr. Blair with the caption: ‘For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings. . . .’ That’s Shakespeare of course…”