A critical analysis of the plays of Sarah Daniels.

As one of the forerunners of 'second wave' feminist playwriting, Sarah Daniels has for the
past fifteen years been one of Britain's most prolific writers for the stage. This thesis is the
first to offer a detailed critical analysis of all her published plays along with a developmental
account of her career. My approach throughout is text-based and non-prescriptive,
although I do at certain points indicate where Daniels reflects or voices differing feminist
perspectives. I also consider, beginning in Chapter Three, the critical reception and
'gendered' reviewing the playwright has received over the years.
The thesis is organised into five chapters with an Afterword. Chapter One, the
Introduction, offers an overview of Daniels' career as well as certain key characteristics of
her work. In Chapter Two I analyse the early plays, Ripen Our Darkness, The Devil's
Gateway and Neaptide, and consider in particular how they reflect, along with other
women's playwriting at the time, certain ideals of the Women's Liberation Movement.
Chapter Three is devoted entirely to Masterpieces, Daniels' most controversial and, on
many levels, successful play to date. Chapter Four is an analysis of the 'history plays',
Byrthrite and The Gut Girls. In addition to giving voice to women traditionally silenced in
and by history, these plays (especially Byrthrite) also echo particular strands of modern
feminist debate. Chapter Five examines Daniels' plays of the 1990s (Beside Herself, Head-
Rot Holiday and The Madness of Esme and Shaz) with their central theme of 'women and
madness'. This is also a fitting theme with which to conclude the thesis as it brings together
and expands on the most significant motif running throughout the playwright's work. In the
Afterword I consider the effect of Esme and Shaz's critical reception on Daniels, as well as
her current 'work in progress'. Finally, the two Appendices provide a chronological table of
Daniels' productions and a list of subsequent professional productions as well as awards.