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BOOK EXAMINES ROLE OF THEATER IN IRISH INDEPENDENCE

INDIANAPOLIS - Ireland's heritage is not all shamrocks, leprechauns, and limericks. The country's political turmoil and fight to maintain their identity has a history that goes back hundreds of years.

A new book by an IUPUI School of Liberal Arts professor examines the role of theatrical performance in politics during the country's struggle for independence from England during the turn of the century. In "Ireland's National Theaters," English Assistant Professor Mary Trotter looks at theater's part in encouraging a sense of national identity during that time.

To rebel against England and their continued negative portrayals of the Irish on stage, the Irish began to develop a sense of national identity by reclaiming their heritage. The Irish people learned the language, wore Irish clothing, read Irish mythology, learned Irish dance, and produced plays depicting the Irish in a positive way.

"Many political groups used theater as a part of their activity," said Trotter. "Simply putting on a play that represented Irish nationalist ideas in a positive light was a kind of political act. Other plays had more overt political agendas, suggesting violence and war as a solution to independence."

"They were trying to figure out issues in the 1800s that remain today in Northern Ireland," she said.

Trotter, who received her Ph.D. in theater and drama from Northwestern University, has presented her research on Irish drama and political theater across the world. Trotter has also published articles on topics including Irish women playwrights, the "Playboy of the Western World" riots, and the Field Day Theater Company.

The book, published by Syracuse University Press, is available in paperback and hardback through local bookstores and through the web at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.