Immigrants as ‘Others’ of 21st Century Britain: Ethnicity, Culturo-Religious Identity and Critical Race Theory in Rachel De-lahay’s Social Realist-Political Theatre

Year 2020, Volume: 30 Issue: 2, 365 - 383, 23.12.2020

Önder Çakırtaş

https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-0092

Abstract

This article addresses Rachel De-lahay and her plays The Westbridge (2011), Routes(2013), and Circles (2014) aiming, in a broad sense, to observe De-lahay’s theatre in terms of the contradictory nature of identities inexorably fluctuating among multi-cultures, and the representation of reality as represented within the milieu of dramaturgical fundamentals. To what extent the characters’ language is used as a theatrical armament in the making of identity, as well as the playwright’s strategy in using dramatic basics to represent the conflicting identities are subjected to this exploration. As well as this, to what extent the cultural and identity conflicts are evolved into the dramatic conflict will be illuminated through the playwright’s oeuvres. The religious and traditional views regarding culturo-religious behaviourism that partly constitutes cultural structure and identity will also be associated. These will be blended with the playwright’s socio-political and socio-realist point of view; relevant analyses will be conducted and De-lahay’s approach to the concept of ‘other’ will also be considered. In addition to all these, the recent signs of race and racism—with a keen interest in non-white portrayals—and their direct influence on the immigrants in Britain-as represented in the plays- will be included in this exploration in relation to race theory.

Keywords

Rachel De-lahay, contemporary British theatre, critical race theory, political theatre, social realist theatre

21. Yüzyıl Britanya’sının ‘Ötekileri’ olarak Göçmenler: Rachel De-lahay’ın Toplumsal Gerçekçi-Politik Tiyatrosunda Etnik Köken, Kültürel Kimlik ve Eleştirel Irk Kuramı

Abstract

Bu makale, Rachel De-lahay’ın The Westbridge (2011), Routes (2013) ve Circles (2014) oyunlarını merkeze alarak yazarın tiyatrosunu, çoklu kültürler arasında zorunlu olarak bocalayan kimliklerin çelişkili doğası ve dramaturjik prensipler temelinde ifade edilen gerçekliğin temsili açısından incelemeyi amaçlar. Karakterlerin dili kimlik inşasında bir teatral donanım olarak ne ölçüde kullandıkları ve oyun yazarının çatışan kimlikleri temsil etmek için dramatik temelleri kullanma stratejisi bu araştırmaya tabi tutulur. Bunun yanı sıra, kültürel ve kimlik çatışmalarının dramatik çatışmaya ne ölçüde evrimleştiği oyun yazarının yapıtları aracılığıyla aydınlatılatılır. Kısmen kültürel yapı ve kimliği oluşturan kültür-dinsel davranışçılığa ilişkin dini ve geleneksel görüşler de oyunlarla ve yazarın düşünceleriyle ilişkilendirilir. Bunlar yazarın sosyo-politik ve sosyo-realist bakış açısıyla harmanlanarak, ilgili analizler yapılır ve De-lahay’ın ‘öteki’ kavramına dair yaklaşımı da göz önüne alınır. Tüm bunlara ek olarak, Britanya’da son dönemlerde fark edilir ölçüde beliren ırksal sorunlar ve ırkçılık ve bunların Britanya’daki göçmenler üzerindeki doğrudan etkileri, kritik ırk kuramına ilişkin olarak oyunlardaki beyaz olmayan karakterler aracılığıyla bu araştırmaya dahil edilir.

Keywords

Rachel De-laha, çağdaş İngiliz tiyatrosu, eleştirel ırk kuramı, politik tiyatro, toplumsal gerçekçi tiyatro

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