It's M.A.D. single work   drama   - One act
First known date: 1981 Issue Details: First known date: 1981... 1981 It's M.A.D.
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'A 55 minute show about the history and present threat of nuclear war and the evils of militarism. Set in the metaphor of an insane asylum, the actors played a series of terrifying characters which arose out of their "MADness"...The military-industrial complex was analysed and, towards the end of the show, all pretence at satire was quite purposely dropped for a dramatic monologue based on extracts from Wilfred Burchett's post-Hiroshima journalism and from the book on Hiroshima by J. Hersey.'

Source: Errol O'Neill, 'A Chronology of the Popular Theatre Troupe : 1974-1983,' p.81.

Production Details

  • First performed by the Popular Theatre Troupe, Brisbane, Qld, June-July 1981.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Challenging the Centre : Two Decades of Political Theatre : The Work of the Popular Theatre Troupe, Order By Numbers and Street Arts Community Theatre Steve Capelin (editor), Brisbane : Playlab , 1995 Z865094 1995 selected work drama

    'Queensland has been the scene of some remarkable, even notorious political events over the past twenty-five years or more. In that time a number of exciting theatre artists and companies have developed their philosophies and methodologies in this charged environment.

    Challenging the Centre represents the first attempt to capture some of these significant artistic endeavours which have occurred over the period 1974 to 1994. This book focuses on three key political and community theatre companies and places their works in a national and international context.

    The Popular Theatre Troupe had its origins in the early 1970s and was associated with a style of theatre which took political and social issues beyond the confines of traditional theatre spaces to industrial worksites, schools and to regional communities throughout Australia in a concerted attempt to offer an alternative analysis of the times.

    Order By Numbers existed briefly but burned brightly with passion and indignation. Their history captured the anger and frustration of life under a repressive political regime.

    Street Arts Community Theatre Company's work spans the 1980s and into the nineties and represents a radically different approach to the role of a socially relevant theatre company. Street Arts pursued a broader developmental approach to theatre in a community context and has made a significant contribution to community cultural development in Australia'

    Source: Challenging the Centre (back cover)

         Brisbane : Playlab , 1995     pg. 229-257 Section: Part Five - Scripts
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Last amended 21 Oct 2016 11:50:18
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