The Plays of David Hare

This is the first full-length survey of one of the leading playwrights of the post-war generation. Through his career as playwright, filmmaker, and director, David Hare has been at the forefront of modern theatre and his work is frequently seen as a reflection of the contemporary political and social environment of Britain. In this analysis, Carol Homden examines the work of David Hare including the screenplays of Plenty, Pravda, and Wetherby, as well as the plays he has written for the Royal National Theatre. Through her study, Homden identifies the key themes which have dominated and influenced Hare’s writing throughout his career and closes with a discussion of Hare’s most recent work, the trilogy of plays, Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges, and The Absence of War, and, from these identifies a new direction for the playwright.