Summer's Day Dream By J. B. Priestly
I stumbled across a few of J. B. Priestley's plays on You Tube. An Inspector Calls, Time and The Conways, and this play Summer's Day Dream.
Summer's Day Dream was written in the 1940's but is set on the Sussex Downs in mid nineteen seventies. After a third world war, England is now deindustrialized and an agrarian society, with farming families, living off the land and bartering goods, helping each other. Technology is not easily accessible and ones entertainment goes back to times past, where one read, created your own entertainment, wrote poetry and were creative. The mode of transportation is by horse and not even a phone is easily available, in fact they have come to feel no need for them.
The Dawlishes live in an old house that the grandfather an industrialist bought before the third war, now it has receded back to nature with an overgrown garden and wildlife all around. They are invaded by an American industrialist, a Soviet bureaucrat and an Indian scientist, who want to exploit the chalk downs for synthetics. Totally destroying the land and what they have built up.
What is worth more cultural values or militaristic posturing? England has receded, America, Russia and India are now advancing on the industrial front. Mr. Heimer the American has a boss G. J. Copplestone, who cannot sleep, has high blood pressure and cannot keep a wife, but is a multi millionaire and owns many television stations through which he tells American families how they should live their lives.
It seems that J. B. Priestley's plays have been having somewhat of a comeback. In view of world events I am not surprised that many of his plays are being revisited.
Christine
I stumbled across a few of J. B. Priestley's plays on You Tube. An Inspector Calls, Time and The Conways, and this play Summer's Day Dream.
Summer's Day Dream was written in the 1940's but is set on the Sussex Downs in mid nineteen seventies. After a third world war, England is now deindustrialized and an agrarian society, with farming families, living off the land and bartering goods, helping each other. Technology is not easily accessible and ones entertainment goes back to times past, where one read, created your own entertainment, wrote poetry and were creative. The mode of transportation is by horse and not even a phone is easily available, in fact they have come to feel no need for them.
The Dawlishes live in an old house that the grandfather an industrialist bought before the third war, now it has receded back to nature with an overgrown garden and wildlife all around. They are invaded by an American industrialist, a Soviet bureaucrat and an Indian scientist, who want to exploit the chalk downs for synthetics. Totally destroying the land and what they have built up.
What is worth more cultural values or militaristic posturing? England has receded, America, Russia and India are now advancing on the industrial front. Mr. Heimer the American has a boss G. J. Copplestone, who cannot sleep, has high blood pressure and cannot keep a wife, but is a multi millionaire and owns many television stations through which he tells American families how they should live their lives.
It seems that J. B. Priestley's plays have been having somewhat of a comeback. In view of world events I am not surprised that many of his plays are being revisited.
Christine
Merry Christmas!! A new year that is peaceful and joyful!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting. I've never heard of it but do remember doing An Inspector Calls in English Lit at school but so long ago can't really remember it. He was a bit out in his idea of what England would be like in the 70's.
ReplyDeleteYes WWIII has not come to the world. Interesting to view his thoughts on what makes one happy. Appreciate all well wishes. Thank you.
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