The Power Of Laughter - Comedy & Contemporary Irish Theatre

New Paperback first edition, 196 pages
EDITOR ERIC WEITZ

THE POWER OF LAUGHTER Comedy and Contemporary Irish Theatre

The Power of Laughter takes a very contemporary look at diverse incarnations of the comic imagination in recent Irish theatre. The collection draws on a wide range of perspectives and voices including critics, playwrights, directors and performers. The result is a series of fascinating and provocative debates about the myriad functions of comedy in contemporary Irish theatre - sometimes it is entertaining, subversive, innovative or ironic, other times it can be evasive or even exploitative. Refusing any narrow definitions of 'Irish', 'comedy' or 'theatre', this book makes a significant contribution to the evaluation and appreciation of comedy in theatre, and of the changing modes of theatre practice and criticism in Ireland in the twenty-first century.
Anna McMullan

As Stan Laurel said, it takes only an onion to cry. Peel it and weep. Comedy is harder. These essays listen to the power of laughter. They hear the tough heart of Irish theatre-hard and wicked and funny.
Frank McGuinness