Irish Stage Censorship in the 1950s

Abstract

At the end of the 1940s, individuals and groups, as well as the government in Ireland, recognized the need for and benefits of arts enterprises. The Inter-Party coalition, which came to power in early 1948 (under John Costello), recognized the importance of tourism as an industry and the potential of theatre to attract foreign visitors to Ireland. In 1949, the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland, operating under the auspices of the Minister for External Affairs, undertook production of a series of pamphlets designed “to give a broad, vivid, and informed survey of Irish life and culture.”1 In 1951, the Republic of Ireland established the Arts Council; the first National Fleadh (Festival) for traditional music was held in Mullingar; Liam Miller founded the Dolmen Press; and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (Traditional Irish Music Advisory) was established. Even after the 1951 election returned de Valera and Fianna Fáil to power, organizational infrastructures to support the arts continued to appear: the Irish tourist board (Bord Failte) and Gael-Linn (an organization to promote Irish language, literature, and culture) both debuted in 1952. Cork held its first International Choral and Folk Dance Festival and its first International Film Festival in 1953. Some of these developments may have anticipated the imminent inauguration of regular air passenger service to North America, but all responded to cultural opportunities precluded during what Ireland knows as the Emergency and other nations as World War II. These agencies and events all sought to project a positive, progressive image of Ireland. Most important, they all mark a departure from the isolationism that prevailed in Ireland before and during the Emergency and that characterized de Valera's tenure as Taoiseach in the 1930s and 1940s.

WHEN BROADWAY CAME TO SWEDEN: THE EUROPEAN PREMIERE OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS'SCAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

“…Plans for a stage production in Ireland were abandoned after the arrest and prosecution in May 1957 of director Alan Simpson, who refused to cancel a performance of the allegedly indecent The Rose Tattoo at The Pike. 5 In fact, in Europe, most of Williams's canonical plays were first presented in Swedish translation (which underscores the importance of this study). Under the title Katt på hett plåttak, Williams's play was translated by Sven Barthel (1903-91), who had a significant influence on popularizing American drama-including Williams, Eugene O'Neill, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee-in Sweden.…”