Social Housing in Performance

This book explores the ways that council estates have been represented in England across a range of performance forms. Drawing on examples from mainstream site-specific and resident-led performance works it considers the political potential of contemporary performance practices concerned with the council estate. Depictions of the council estate are brought into dialogue with global representations of what Chris Richardson and Hans Skott-Myhre call the 'hood' to tease out the specific features of the British context and situate the work globally. <br/><br/>Katie Beswick's study provides a timely contribution to the ongoing national and global interest in social housing. As the housing market grows ever more insecure and estates are charged with political rhetoric theatre and socially engaged art set or taking place on estates takes on a new potency. Mainstream theatre works examined include<i> Rita Sue and Bob Too</i> and <i>A State Affair</i> at the Soho Theatre <i>Port</i> at the National Theatre and <i>DenMarked</i> at the Battersea Arts Centre. The book also explores the National Youth Theatre's <i>Slick</i> and Roger Hiorns' <i>Seizure</i> as well as community-based and resident led performances by Fourthland Jordan McKenzie Fugitive Images and Jane English.