ABSTRACT
The outpouring of new British plays in the eight years which followed 1956 was distinguished by two kinds of revolt; technically, against the 'well-made play' and, emotionally, against the stuffiness of the 'British establishment'. The emotional revolt could mean almost anything, from a considered left-wing attack against a bourgeois, capitalistic society to the jibes against sexual hypocrisy, financial corruption and complacency. The 'second wave' dramatists were faced with a different situation. Unlike Osborne, they were surrounded by technical alternatives. They could write in the style of Brecht and no director would quail. Theatrical authenticity derives from understanding the old transactions, appreciating the need for change and speculating intelligently about new alternatives. Finally, by finding appropriate technical means through which this vital debate can be transformed into a full statement, using the rich language of drama. Its reward is not necessarily social change, although this may well come, but a deeper human appreciation of the situation with which it is concerned.
