Mark Shenton retweeted a link to Mark Ravenhill's piece for The Independent today, discussing the work of Edward Bond at The Cock. It rankled slightly as you don't have to read too far between the lines to see how this was simply a very well timed piece of advertising for Adam Spreadbury Maher's new production, bearing in mind that Ravenhill is planning a new production of Madame Butterfly at The Lil' Opry House, Spreadbury Maher's other theatre in the not-too-distant-future. Quid Pro Quo Clarice, Quid Pro Quo.
Ravenhill points out in his piece that Bond, generally considered to be one of our greatest living playwrights, has been abandoned by the big houses such as the Royal Court and The National. The truth is Bond's work, as great as it is, is distinctly unfashionable at the moment. It may seem a harsh truth to take, but larger houses are businesses and any business that doesn't heed market trends runs the risk of loosing money. Bond plays - both content and style - are the very stuff of Fringe Theatre at the moment and his appearance in a season at The Cock Tavern is no more unexpected than, say seeing Shopping And Fucking being performed on The Fringe. The only unusual thing is his involvement in the season.
The legacy of the playwright is that his work lives for ever and Bond is particularly lucky because his genius was discovered and celebrated in his lifetime. Actors and their performances may come and go but plays live eternally.
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