Saved
by Edward Bond

Name: Saved
Brand: Edward Bond
SKU: 9780413313607
Rating: 3.42 (725 reviews)

Highlights

British

What readers are saying

Readers have mixed feelings about the play, often acknowledging its importance and impact on British theatre while simultaneously expressing discomfort due to its disturbing content. Many appreciate the stark portrayal of social issues, though the challenging dialect and brutal themes have led to some readers feeling overwhelmed. Overall, 'Saved' is recognized as a significant, albeit difficult, work that elicits deep emotional responses.

Brutal and honest depiction of society Important work in British theatre Provokes deep thought and discussion Challenging dialect to follow Disturbing themes may overwhelm some

Synopsis

Described by its author as 'almost irresponsibly optimistic', Saved is a play set in London in the sixties.

Its subject is the cultural poverty and frustration of a generation of young people on the dole and living on council estates.

The play was first staged privately in November 1965 at the Royal Court Theatre before members of the English Stage Society in a time when plays were still censored.

With its scenes of violence, including the stoning of a baby, Saved became a notorious play and a cause célèbre.

In a letter to the Observer, Sir Laurence Olivier wrote: 'Saved is not a play for children but it is for grown-ups, and the grown-ups of this country should have the courage to look at it.' Saved has had a marked influence on a whole new generation writing in the 1990s.

Edward Bond is "a great playwright - many, particularly in continental Europe, would say the greatest living English playwright" (Independent)