Theatrical Unrest

Theatre Riots is a compelling account of episodes of unrest in theatrical history. From an Elizabethan rebellion over Shakespeare's Richard II to Sikhs uprising at Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's Behzti, Sean McEvoy traces stories of violent public disturbances in response to this art form.What is it about theatre, compared to other kinds of cultural representation, which provokes this reaction? McEvoy looks at the intensity of the live event and asks whether theatre shares its unrepeatable quality with history. Each description provides an overview of the event, juxtaposing eyewitness accounts with newspaper reports and other contemporary narratives.