Download The Condition of the Working Class

The Condition of
the Working Class
by Deirdre O’Neill and Michael Wayne
Everything changes and yet everything stays the same. 1844: Friedrich
Engels writes his book The Condition of the Working Class in England,
a classic denunciation of the appalling living conditions for working
people living at the heart of the industrial revolution in Manchester,
England. In 2012: a group of working class people from Manchester and
Salford have the job of devising a theatrical show from scratch based
on their own experiences and Engels’ book. They have 8 weeks before
their first performances. The Condition of the Working Class follows
the process from the first rehearsal to first night and situates their
struggle to get the show on stage in the context of the daily struggles
of working people facing economic crisis and austerity politics.
Thursday 25th April
5.00-7.00pm
Screening & Discussion
John Casken Lecture Theatre
Martin Harris Centre for Music & Drama
Deirdre O’Neill is a working class PhD student who has been teaching film
theory and practice for 20 years.
Michael Wayne is a Professor in Screen Media at Brunel University where
he teaches politics and film and an MA in documentary practice.
Organised by Cultivating Research and
Centre for Screen Studies at Drama and
Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology
For further details see www.centreforscreenstudies.manchester.ac.uk