{{Cleanup MOS|date=March 2025|reason=The material after the list in the See also section needs to be moved into its own section. Please also see MOS:REFSPACE}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:"Mother Courage" with Renyu Setna as the Chaplin, Margaret Robertson as Mother Courage and Josephine Welcome as Kattrin (1982).jpg|thumb|Renu Setna as Chaplain, Josephine Welcome as Kattrin, Margaret Robertson as Mother Courage, in ''Mother Courage and Her Children'' by Bertolt Brecht, Internationalist Theatre]] '''Internationalist Theatre''' is a London theatre company founded by South African Greek actress Angelique Rockas in September 1980.<ref name=conway>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BjFaAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Internationalist+Theatre%22 |title=British Alternative Theatre Directory|author=Robert Conway|publisher=J. Offord |date= 1988|pages=27–28 |isbn= 9780903931380}}</ref> The company was originally named New Internationalist Theatre,<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=lzkOAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Angelique+Rockas%22|title=British Theatre directory|date=1990|page=336 |publisher=Vance-Offord (Publications) Limited |isbn=9781870323055|via=books.google.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archiv.adk.de/objekt/2583471|title=easydb.archive|website=archiv.adk.de|access-date=2020-03-13}}</ref> with an intention to pursue an internationalist approach in its choice of plays as well as "a multi-racial drama policy, with an even mix of performers drawn from different cultural groups", ''The Stage'', April 1981.<ref name=conway /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TheStageTheatreNewsOriginal|title=Multi-racial Genet|author=Stage Editorial|date=9 April 1981|work=The Stage|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
The theatre has received coverage from stage papers around the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/InterviewEleutherotipiaGreeceAngeliqueRockasAugust1992|title=Interview ''Eleutherotipia'' Greece Angelique Rockas |author=Dimitris Gionis|date=August 1992|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/NationalHeraldUSAAngeliqueRockas1005|title= Angelique Rockas 1005|author= Ari Papadopoulos|date=July 1993|work=National Herald USA|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/VogueMexcoCoverJuly1992 |title=Vogue Mexico Interview Angelique Rockas Multi Faceted Actress Spanish and English |author=Luis Carlos Emmerich|date=July 1992|work=Vogue Mexico|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesouthafrican.com/angelique-rockas-bold-theatre-pioneer/ |title=Angelique Rockas: bold theatre pioneer |date=10 August 2011 |work=The South African |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160606160808/http://www.thesouthafrican.com/angelique-rockas-bold-theatre-pioneer/ |archive-date=6 June 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hellenism.net/interview_angelique-rockas.html|title=Angelique Rockas|author=Evangelos Kordakis|work=hellenism.net|access-date=2016-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211054344/http://www.hellenism.net/interview_angelique-rockas.html|archive-date=2015-02-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> It received charity status in 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/InternationalistTheatreCharityRegistrationAngeliqueRockas1986|title=Internationalist Theatre granted Charity status|author=Charity Commission|date=1986|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
== Performances== The Internationalist Theatre has put on plays by Jean Genet (''The Balcony''),<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/FirstPageOfBBCFrenchLanguageReview|title=Why An International Theatre|date=30 June 1981|work=BBC French|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> Griselda Gambaro (''The Camp''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1950-01-01/1999-12-31?basicsearch=the%20stage%2019%20november%201981%20the%20camp%20new%20internationalist%20ann%20morley%20priestman&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=the%2Bstage&page=7|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174949/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1950-01-01/1999-12-31?basicsearch=the%20stage%2019%20november%201981%20the%20camp%20new%20internationalist%20ann%20morley%20priestman&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=the%2Bstage&page=7|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2018|title=British Newspaper archive scan of The Stage review of The Camp 10/12|author=Ann Morley-Priestman|date=19 November 1981|work=The Stage|via=britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1950-01-01/1999-12-31?basicsearch=the%20stage%2019%20november%201981%20the%20camp%20new%20internationalist%20ann%20morley%20priestman&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=the%2Bstage&page=6| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180821032351/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1950-01-01/1999-12-31?basicsearch=the%2520stage%252019%2520november%25201981%2520the%2520camp%2520new%2520internationalist%2520ann%2520morley%2520priestman&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=the%252bstage&page=6| url-status = dead| archive-date = 21 August 2018| title = Results for 'the stage 19 november 1981 the camp new internationalist ann morley priestman' {{!}} Between 1st Jan 1950 and 31st Dec 1999 {{!}} The Stage {{!}} Publication {{!}} British Newspaper Archive}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/bbclatinamericanreviewelcampo1_202001|title=Press File: 'The Camp' by Griselda Gambaro, Reviews 11 pages|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> Brecht (''Mother Courage and Her Children''),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ScreenshotArtOfFullPageArtOfKeepingAlive|title = The Stage "Art of Keeping Alive" Mother Courage}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Mother Courage review by The Standard, Christopher Hudson |url=https://archive.org/details/standardlettingmothertaketheloades1982may062440000 |access-date=2025-03-14}}</ref> Luigi Pirandello (''Liolà''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/PdfInternationalistLiolaMultiRacialAndMultiNationalJuly1982|title=Deceit in a Sicilian village|author=Harold Atkins|date=28 July 1982|work=The Daily Telegraph|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=LIOLA |author=Nicolas de Jongh |date= 28 July 1982|work=The Guardian }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=pirandello%20liola%20bloomsbury%20theatre%201982%20the%20stage%20&retrievecountrycounts=false| title = Results for 'pirandello liola bloomsbury theatre 1982 the stage ' {{!}} British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> Tennessee Williams (''In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel''),<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/internationalist_theatre_rockas/6459501423/in/album-72157627979736863/|title=In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel|last=Anderson|first=Lindsay|date=5 May 1983|via=flickr.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=the%20stage%20battle%20for%20riches%201983%20ann%20nugent&retrievecountrycounts=false |title=British Newspaper Archive The Stage Battle forRiches |author=Ann Nugent |date=14 July 1983|work=The Stage |via=britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk}}</ref> August Strindberg (''Miss Julie'')<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iMC5o-iJq-YC&q=%22Angelique+Rockas%22&pg=PA933|title=An International Annotated Bibliography of Strindberg Studies section 12 1378|author=Michael Robinson|date=2008|isbn=9780947623821|via=books.google.co.uk}}</ref> and Maxim Gorky (''Enemies'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/Main%20Pages/theatreRecordPlaysIndex.pdf|title=Theatre Record Play index 05/p.0261 'Enemies ' 74/1207|author=Theatre Record|date=March 1985|work=Theatre Record|via=.doollee.com}}</ref> Their critical reception was generally favourable,<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Liola_review_corriere_della_serra_20_july_1982_Internationalist_theatre|title=piace a Londra ''Liolà'' in teatro|date=20 July 1982|work=Corriere della Serra|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TheStageMissJulieOriginal|title=Review of Miss Julie|author=RB Marriott|date=2 February 1984|work=The Stage|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/MorningStarOrigianlEnemies|title=Review of ''Enemies''|author=Tom Vaughan|date=26 March 1985|work=The Morning Star|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=enemies%20by%20maxim%20gorky%201985%20the%20stage%20ann%20pennington&retrievecountrycounts=false| title = Results for 'enemies by maxim gorky 1985 the stage ann pennington' {{!}} British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> although not universally. ''Time Out'' magazine disliked their production of ''Mother Courage'': "the casting only inspires a whole host of irreverent questions: what on earth, say, is an American sergeant doing in seventeenth century Europe? And how did a Pakistani chaplain get into the Swedish army?"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/TimeOutMalcolmHay13May1982_201809|title=Time Out review of Mother Courage by Malcolm Hay 13 May 1982. issue 611, pg. 69|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> An example of the resistance to diversity casting at this point of time to a theatre first of a multi-racial ''Mother Courage'' production. The Pakistani actor referred to by Malcolm Hay was the veteran Asian Parsi actor Renu Setna. The ''Financial Times'' found Liolà`s multi-national casting problematic: "do we really need this peculiar medley of Italian accents for the English premiere? The problem is compounded by the commitment ... to a multi-national cast ... English, German, Sicilian, and Italian actors produce widely differing versions of the Latin lilt."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/LiolaFTReviewInternationalistTheatreCommittedToInternationalCastingJuly1982|title = Liola FT Review Internationalist Theatre Committed to International Casting July 1982}}</ref> [[File:Angelique Rockas and Okon Jones (The Balcony).jpg|thumb|Angelique Rockas as Carmen with Okon Jones in Genet's The Balcony, Internationalist Theatre]]
==The Historical-Political Dimension of the work of Internationalist Theatre== The theatre's political works include: *Griselda Gambaro`s ''The Camp '' (October,1981), an anti-junta protest play which "relentlessly exposes and explores the psychology of fascism ... draws its political parallels by reference to Nazi concentration camps". Argentina at the time of Gambaro writing this play was ruled by a Junta and Gambaro was in Exile in Spain.<ref name="auto"/> * Jean Genet, ''The Balcony'' (July 1981): "a comment on power and political manoeuvre ... While the ruling classes, the icons and figureheads fiddle, society burns around them" . The performance coincided with the outbreak of the Brixton Riots in London.<ref>{{Citation |title=Press File:The Balcony Internationalist Theatre |url=https://archive.org/details/taylormadetheatrereviewgenetthebalcony_202001 |access-date=2025-03-14}}</ref> * Bertolt Brecht, ''Mother Courage and Her Children'' (1982 May)" "whose attack on the practice of war could not- with south atlantic news filling the front pages- have been more topical...prompted the questions it should." (Falklands War)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=16paAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Internationalist+Theatre%22+-wikipedia | title=Drama: The Quarterly Theatre Review | year=1981 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/timeoutmalcolmhay13may19821|title=Press File: 'Mother Courage ' reviews in 10 pages|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> *Maxim Gorky, ''Enemies'', (March 1985)``One critic saw a parallel between the workers' uprising in Enemies and the Miners' Strike that had been running in the UK since 1984, saying, " it is about the miners strike " UK miners' strike (1984–85). Gorky`s "pseudo-populism" is done away with in this production by the actors speaking "without distinctive accents and consequently without populist sentiment."<ref>{{Citation |title=Press File: Reviews of 'Enemies' by Maxim Gorky directed by Ann Penington in 12 pages |url=https://archive.org/details/bbcrussianservicereviewgorkyenemiespage1a_202002 |access-date=2025-03-14}}</ref><ref>imported from Enemies Play- Wikiedia</ref>
== See also == *Intercultural theatre *Political drama
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==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://archiv.adk.de/objekt/2583471 Bertolt-Brecht-Archiv Akademie der Künste ] Mother Courage and Her Children * The records of [http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=IAMS_VU2&docId=IAMS032-003377398&fn=permalink Internationalist Theatre, London, 1983-1985; New Internationalist Theatre, London, 1981-1982 ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308201331/https://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?docId=IAMS032-003377398&fn=permalink&vid=IAMS_VU2 |date=8 March 2022 }} are held by the British Library. *{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119165426/https://www.ucd.ie/pirsoc/pirandello_studies.htm |date=2020-11-19 }} Index to Pirandello Studies, University of Dublin, Vol 3 (1983), Liola p. 100-102 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20211016145618/https://www.dramaandtheatre.co.uk/practical/article/practitioner-focus-angelique-rockas Practitioner focus: Angelique Rockas | Drama And Theatre] Practitioner focus: Angelique Rockas | Drama And Theatre *[https://web.archive.org/web/20210726164616/https://www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Internationalist_Theatre Internationalist Theatre] Internationalist Theatre in Academia.edu *[https://www.pirandellosociety.org/eng-pirandello `Liola ` performance on Pirandello Society ] {{Commons category}} {{Portal bar|Theatre|Politics}}
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Category:Women in theatre Category:Feminist theatre Category:Political theatre Category:Theatre companies in London Category:Theatre companies in the United Kingdom Category:Entertainment companies established in 1981 Category:Modernist theatre Category:Alternative theatre Category:1981 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Theatre practitioners Category:1981 establishments in England Category:Defunct companies based in London