Secondary Catalogue

Series: Literary Contexts: 1980s British Fiction


Billy Elliot in Context

Billy Elliot in Context

England in the mid-80s was a time of widespread industrial action and social unrest. Striking miners picketed for their jobs, while the gay community fought for their rights. This video explores the historical events and changing social attitudes...Show More
Blood Brothers in Context

Blood Brothers in Context

Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’ chronicles the social circumstances that lead two brothers to tragedy. Although set in the 1960s and 70s, the musical reflects the social issues and attitudes of the time the play was written in the early...Show More
The History Boys in Context

The History Boys in Context

Alan Bennett’s 'The History Boys' is set in 1983, a time when England was rife with class conflict and political reform. This video examines the events and tensions that inform Bennett’s play, from the changing roles of teachers to the social...Show More