A British Perspective on the Romanian revolution of 1989: Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest
A British Perspective on the Romanian revolution of 1989: Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest

Summary/Abstract: Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest: A Play from Romania is written in the aftermath of the revolutionary events that ended Ceaușescu’s regime. Having had only a few weeks to do research in Romania in the spring of 1990, the British playwright structures the text in three acts that render not only the tumultuous atmosphere of those times, but also capture the defining features of a nation in crisis. The characters stand for an entire society faced with a crucial historical moment. Avery ambitious project and the result of intense collaborative work, the play was staged in London and New York, also reaching the National Theatre in Bucharest the same year. The current study investigates Churchill’s approach to Romanian history and culture as well as her preoccupation for finding the appropriate ways to engage theatre-goers around the world. Even if Brechtian and absurdist influences are often noted by reviewers and critics, the play is the original expression of Churchill’s creative talent and theatrical experience.

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