Chartist Drama

Chartist Drama is the first collection of plays written or performed by members of the Chartist movement of the 1840s. It challenges cultural and political hierarchies by adapting genres such as melodrama, history plays, and tragedy for performance in new settings. John Watkinss John Frost is one of the plays included, which dramatises the Newport rising. Gregory Vargos introduction and notes provide insight into the previously unexplored world of Chartist dramatic culture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2022
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Chartist Drama presents a groundbreaking collection of four plays, written or performed by members of the Chartist movement during the 1840s. These plays emerged from the vibrant counter-culture of this protest campaign for democratic rights, challenging cultural and political hierarchies by adapting familiar genres like melodrama, history plays, and tragedy to unconventional settings. Among these is John Watkinss John Frost, a powerful dramatization of the events surrounding the Newport rising, where twenty-two Chartists tragically lost their lives in an unsuccessful attempt to ignite a nationwide rebellion. In addition to the plays, Gregory Vargos' introduction and notes provide valuable insights into the previously unexplored realm of Chartist dramatic culture, offering a fresh perspective on early Victorian popular politics and theatre. This collection is a testament to the creative and political power of theatrical performance during a period of profound social and political change.

Chartist Drama presents a groundbreaking collection of four plays, written or performed by members of the Chartist movement during the 1840s. These plays emerged from the vibrant counter-culture of this protest campaign for democratic rights, challenging cultural and political hierarchies by adapting familiar genres like melodrama, history plays, and tragedy to unconventional settings. Among these is John Watkinss John Frost, a powerful dramatization of the events surrounding the Newport rising, where twenty-two Chartists tragically lost their lives in an unsuccessful attempt to ignite a nationwide rebellion. In addition to the plays, Gregory Vargos' introduction and notes provide valuable insights into the previously unexplored realm of Chartist dramatic culture, offering a fresh perspective on early Victorian popular politics and theatre. This collection is a testament to the creative and political power of theatrical performance during a period of profound social and political change.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526164100