Title: Look Back in Anger
Author: John Osborne
First published January 1, 1957
96 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780140481754 (ISBN10: 0140481753)
Rating: 3.56
Overview
This play is a force to be reckoned with, as it shatters the norms of British drama with its intense urgency and sharp humor. Meet Jimmy Porter, a man who plays the trumpet poorly, bullies his roommate, terrifies his wife, and even sleeps with her best friend – who despises him almost as much as he despises himself.
But despite his flaws, this working-class Hamlet and original Angry Young Man is a captivating character that lights up the stage. Through his malevolent vitality and volcanic articulation, he exposes the dreary and dreaming Siberia of postwar England.
First performed in 1956, this play launched a revolution in the English theater by forcing audiences to confront the hidden currents of decay and fury that lurk beneath the facade of “the good life.”
About the Author
John James Osborne was an accomplished English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and critic who was known for challenging The Establishment. His play Look Back in Anger, which premiered in 1956, was a huge success and had a transformative effect on English theatre.
Over the course of his 40-year career, Osborne explored a wide range of themes and genres, writing for stage, film, and TV. He led an extravagant and unconventional personal life, and was known for his use of ornate and violent language, both in support of his political causes and in his dealings with his own family, including his wives and children, who often gave as good as they got.
Osborne emerged on the theatrical scene during a time when British acting was at its peak, but most of the great plays were coming from the United States and France. British plays were largely unaware of the complexities of the postwar period.
Osborne was one of the first writers to tackle Britain’s purpose in the post-imperial age, and the first to publicly question the relevance of the monarchy. During his heyday from 1956 to 1966, he popularized contempt as an acceptable and now oft-used onstage emotion, championed the purifying power of bad behavior and bad taste, and combined unflinching honesty with devastating wit.
Editoral Review
Look Back in Anger Review: A Cutting-Edge Classic by John Osborne
John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger is one of the fundamental plays of post-World War II British drama. The play sparked the “Angry Young Men” movement and represented a significant shift in the theatre world’s focus from the elitist establishment to the common man.
Osborne’s work brought about a wave of innovation in British theatre, and heralded a new era in playwriting, and this 1956 work still stands as a groundbreaking piece of literature.
At first glance, Look Back in Anger may seem like a simple play, but Osborne’s composition has a multi-layered, complex nature beneath the surface.
The play is set in a cramped one-room apartment in the Midlands, and tells the story of Jimmy Porter, a hot-headed, working-class white man who rages against the world around him. There is no denying that Jimmy is a difficult character to like, but his rage is as deep as it is indignant, and it speaks to the frustration of an entire generation.
Osborne captures the ethos of the post-war years wonderfully, bringing a timely message of change and progress to the stage. Set against a backdrop of drab England, Look Back in Anger is both shocking and heartfelt; a call-to-action for a generation who had endured the ravages of war and wanted nothing more than to move on.
The play’s themes of class, love, loss, and generational disillusionment have never been more relevant than in today’s era of income inequality and political turmoil. Osborne’s characters are rich and multi-dimensional, but it is Jimmy’s constant struggle with society that is the play’s most defining aspect.
The play’s sophisticated structure is executed with a light touch, and the story is propelled by dialogue that is incisive and witty. The emotional stress of Jimmy’s anger is countered by the deeply human element of his relationship with his wife, Alison, which is both tender and heartbreaking.
The rest of the characters, Cliff Lewis and Helena Charles, add depth and perspective to the story, providing a counterpoint to Jimmy’s passionate monologues. In conclusion, Look Back in Anger is an extraordinary play that has left an indelible mark on literature.
Osborne’s debut play revolutionized British theatre by bringing in a new generation of talented and innovative playwrights. The play’s powerful message continues to resonate with readers today more than ever, and its themes serve as a wake-up call for a society that often forgets its own shortcomings.
I would highly recommend this work to everyone, and give it a rating of 8/10.
