MASTERPIECES

British Theatre. Sarah Daniels' Masterpieces. UNED © 2025 by Abdón Tobarias Ruiz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Masterpieces

Sarah Daniels

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Let's warm up!

Drop 1 or 2 words that sum up your first impression of Masterpieces.

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IMPRESSION

CONTEXT

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SARAH DANIELS

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MASTERPIECES

CONCEPT MAP

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CONTEXT

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CONTEXT

THE GENDERING OF POLITICAL THEATRE

Politics and theatre were dominated by middle-class male voices

Until 1970s & 80s

2nd wave of feminism1960s & 70s

Sparks activism across society and theatre

Helen Keyssar

Deconstruction of patriarcal sexual difference. Productions and scripts trigger consciousness of women as women. Women characters in subject position.

Elaine Aston

History = HIS' story. Feminist theatre VS linearity as weapon

ELAINE ASTON

Helene Keyssar

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CONTEXT

THE GENDERING OF POLITICAL THEATRE

Underpinned by left-wing socialist beliefs. Margaret Thatcher's paradox: “I owe nothing to Women's Lib.”

Values of women's theatre

Representations of women's theatre

Between 1982-83: 1,024 plays performed in Great Britain - only 11% written by women

Production of women's theatre

In small venues. More collaborative and democratic. VS hierarchical (1 playwright / director). Domestic emancipation.

Overhaul

Shift in women's status as both creators & spectators.

Thatcher's paradox

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CONTEXT

women's & feminist theatre. reception

Male theatre = THEATRE. Women's theatre labelled as OTHER

Male VS female theatre

Press

1980s Britain was dominated by right-wing media. Hostile and dismissive to women's feminist theatre

Reviewers (cultural mediators)

Gut reactions. Tendency to regard works such as "Masterpieces" as provocative, brutal, contentious and examples of radical feminism

Masterpieces reception

Described as a blunt critique of male chauvinism. Accused of false connections between pornography and violence against women.

Daniels'self-image

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sarah daniels

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SARAH DANIELS

LIFE AND CAREER

London 1951

Birth

Career

Playwright, TV series and radio

Awards

2 Most promising Playwright Awards, London Theatre Critics' Award, Drama Magazine Award & George Devine Award

Other works

Ripen Our Darkness (1981), Mah's Flesh is Grass (1983), The Devil's Gateway (1983), among others.

LIST of WORKS

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SARAH DANIELS

her theatre

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MASTERPIECES

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MASTERPIECES (1983)

OVERVIEW

Great Britain, US, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Japan.

Representations

Inspiration

American feminist Andrea Dworkin's Pornogrphy: Men Possessing Women (1981)

Possible classifications

A feminist-social realist drama with strong political overtones—designed to disrupt complacency and expose everyday patriarchal violence.

Connections

Direct links between pornographic industry and violence against women

Tracy C. Davis

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MASTERPIECES (1983)

MAIN CHARACTERS

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MASTERPIECES (1983)

FORM AND CONTENT

Dislocation of chronological order. Back & forth, compressing & expanding flow of time. Monologues to break the conversational flows. Demands spectator's agility.

ORDER

FORM

As crucial as content. Purposeful deconstruction of cultural and social constructs through fragmentation and pacing.

HUMOUR

Strategic use of comedy makes it difficult to regard the issues as proper political.

Not representational & off-stage ("obskene," voice-overs and soundtracks). To avoid graphic victimisation narrative

PRESENTATIONAL REALISM

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MASTERPIECES (1983)

FORM AND CONTENT

Daniels weaves multiple roles and perspectives. Both complicity and resistance to patriarchy.

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

REAL FACTS

1982's hitchhiker's assault and rape of a girl in Daniels' elementary school.

MULTI-ROLE CAST

The same actor plays different roles during the performances. Not fixed identity, but performative.

STORYLINE

17 scenes. Development in CONCEPT MAP below.

CONCEPT MAP

Become experienced critics!

2018 review

1980'S REVIEWS

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YOUR REVIEWS

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