Tony Harrison

Tony Harrison Synopsis

Tony Harrison is 'a major dramatic poet' (TLS), 'our finest theatrical translator' (The Times) and 'the greatest modern theatrical poet' (Punch). Like Brecht, Harrison is both a major social poet and an innovative dramatist. In his work for theatre, opera and television he has extended the Brechtian tradition of music theatre.

While his poetry and plays have been acclaimed by readers, theatre-goers and critics, he has gained wider notoriety and respect for his controversial television work: especially Channel 4's film of his poem 'v.' and his defence of Salman Rushdie, 'The Blasphemers' Banquet'. This is the first critical guide to the work of Tony Harrison, and covers his poetry, translations, theatre and television work: Essays and articles by leading writers and critics: Jonathan Barker, Rosemary Burton, Maureen Duffy, Douglas Dunn, Peter Forbes, Damian Grant, Romana Huk, Peter Levi, Marianne McDonald, Blake Morrison, Oswyn Murray, Bernard O'Donoghue, Rick Rylance, Carol Rutter, Oliver Taplin, Jeffrey Wainwright, Ken Worpole, Alan Young and others.

Working with Tony Harrison: articles by director Richard Eyre, designer Jocelyn Herbert, actors Barrie Rutter and Jack Shepherd, composer Stephen Edwards, and TV producers Andree Molyneux and Peter Symes. Important reviews of Harrison's poetry and plays by John Barber, Clive Barnes, Michael Billington, Michael Coveney, Robert Cushman, Terry Eagleton, James Fenton, Marilyn Hacker, Ian Hamilton, Bernard Levin, John Peter, Michael Ratcliffe, Lawrence Sail, John Simon, Stephen Spender and others.

Eight essays and prefaces by Tony Harrison as well as his new long poem 'The Mother of the Muses', and the complete texts of his television poems 'Arctic Paradise' and 'The Blasphemers' Banquet'. Interviews with Tony Harrison by John Haffenden and Richard Hoggart.