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Howard Barker Books

Playwright

Howard Barker, born on June 28, 1946, is a British playwright known for his profound political and social critiques. His works often explore themes of power, gender, and class.

Death, The One and the Art of Theatre

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Self Artist Destructive Self Destructive

Author:Howard Barker

“Tragedy is the greatest art form of all. It gives us the courage to continue with our life by exposing us to the pain of life. It is unsentimental, it takes us seriously as human beings, it is not condescending. Paradoxically, by seeing pain we are made greater, it becomes a need.”

Needs Giving Humans Art Made Pain Form Human Beings Greater Our Lives Seeing Tragedy Exposing Condescending

Author:Howard Barker

“It is impossible - now, at this point in the long journey of human culture - to avoid the sense that pain is necessity; that it is neither accident, nor malformation, nor malice, nor misunderstanding, that it is integral to the human character both in its inflicting and in its suffering, this terrible sense Tragedy alone has articulated, and will continue to articulate, and in so doing, make beautiful...”

Humans Long Character Pain Beautiful Suffering Culture Impossible Journey Terrible Tragedy Accidents Misunderstanding Malice Long Journey

Book:Death, The One and the Art of Theatre

Source: Death, The One and the Art of Theatre

“You emerge from tragedy equipped against lies. After the musical, you're anybody's fool”

Lying Fool Tragedy Musical

Author:Howard Barker

“A good play puts the audience through a certain ordeal.”

Play Certain Audience Ordeals

Author:Howard Barker

“I’ve often taken important classical, biblical or literary stories and interrogated them. I have tried to reinvigorate Lot by interpreting it differently.”

Important Stories Taken Biblical Interpreting

Author:Howard Barker

“I never 'say' anything in my work. I invent a world. Let others decide what is being 'said'.”

World Said Say Anything

Author:Howard Barker

“I submit all my plays to the National Theatre for rejection. To assure myself I am seeing clearly.”

Play Seeing Theater Theatre Rejection Submit

Author:Howard Barker

“I believe in poetic discourse, in the value of speech in a non-naturalistic way; it's speculative.”

Way Believe Values I Believe Speech I Believe In Poetic Discourse

Author:Howard Barker

“I don't like sympathetic characters.”

Character Sympathetic

Author:Howard Barker

“I have plenty of political views and plenty of social and personal prejudices. I do not, however, value them.”

Political Values Social Views Prejudice Plenty Political View

Author:Howard Barker

“I'm not interested in entertainment.”

Entertainment Not Interested

Author:Howard Barker

“I'm not interested in observed reality.”

Reality Not Interested

Author:Howard Barker

“Theatre should be a taxing experience: the greatest achievement of a writer is to produce a character who creates anxiety.”

Should Character Produce Achievement Anxiety Theatre Greatest Achievement

Author:Howard Barker

“I am so far as I am aware not at all influenced by dramatists, expect for Shakespeare, who I have to say, it is impossible not to be influenced by if you hold language to be the major element of theatre.”

Ifs Language Impossible Elements Majors Theatre

Author:Howard Barker

“We are suffocated by writers who want to enlighten us with their truths. For me, the theatre is beautiful because it is a secret, and secrets seduce us, we all want to share secrets.”

Want Beautiful Secret Share Theatre Enlightening Seducing

Author:Howard Barker

“When I write, I am not giving a lecture, I am speculating on behavior. Sometimes this is dangerous, but it should be. As I say often, theatre is a dark place and we should keep the light out of it.”

Giving Should Writing Sometimes Light Dark Dangerous Behavior Theatre Lectures Dark Places

Author:Howard Barker

About the Author

Born: June 28, 1946
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 17

Books & Sources

Death, The One and the Art of TheatreRelated source material

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Howard Barker Books

Death, The One and the Art of Theatre

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