Ian Brown 
History as Theatrical Metaphor 
History, Myth and National Identities in Modern Scottish Drama

This revelatory study explores how Scottish history plays, especially since the 1930s, raise issues of ideology, national identity, historiography, mythology, gender and especially Scottish language. Covering topics up to the end of World War Two, the book addresses the work of many key figures from the last century of Scottish theatre, including Robert Mc Lellan and his contemporaries, and also Hector Mac Millan, Stewart Conn, John Mc Grath, Donald Campbell, Bill Bryden, Sue Glover, Liz Lochhead, Jo Clifford, Peter Arnott, David Greig, Rona Munro and others often neglected or misunderstood.

Setting these writers’ achievements in the context of their Scottish and European predecessors, Ian Brown offers fresh insights into key aspects of Scottish theatre. As such, this represents the first study to offer an overarching view of historical representation on Scottish stages, exploring the nature of ‘history’ and ‘myth’ and relating these afresh to how dramatists use – and subvert – them.
Engaging and accessible, this innovative book will attract scholars and students interested in history, ideology, mythology, theatre politics and explorations of national and gender identity.

Table of Content

Introduction.- Chapter one. Playwrights and History.- Chapter two. History, Mythology and “Re-presentation” of events.- Chapter three. Language, Ideology and Identity.- Chapter four. The creation of a “missing” tradition.- Chapter five. Revealing hidden histories.- Chapter six. The re-visioning of history.- Chapter seven. Alternative visions.- Chapter eight.


Re-constructing the deconstructed.- Chapter nine. Conclusion.

About the author

Emeritus Professor in Drama at Kingston University, UK, and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Glasgow University, Ian Brown’s previous posts include Dean of Arts, Queen Margaret University, and Drama Director, Arts Council of Great Britain. Published widely on theatre history and cultural matters, he is a playwright and poet.