ABSTRACT
On 5 December 1972, 7:84 Theatre Company received a letter informing them of legal action being taken against D’Arcy and Arden, and warning them to remove the production of The Ballygombeen Bequest from the stage forthwith. The Island of the Mighty remains one of the most fascinating and provocative works in the Arden/D’Arcy canon. The title uses an ancient Welsh name for Britain, and it draws its subject matter from the Arthurian cycle, also known as ‘The Matter of Britain’. Arden and D’Arcy needed something more responsive, something more resonant for a contemporary audience. India had also revealed to Arden and D’Arcy a viable form of extended popular epic dramas, performed by the Chhau dancers and the Jatra theatre troupes. Arden and D’Arcy had been careful to obtain the support of the Society of Irish Playwrights, and they picketed the theatre up to thirteen hours each day, being joined at various times by other sympathetic professionals.
