Sexuality and Performance in Julian Mitchell’s "Another Country". The Love That Asks No Question (eBook)

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Centre for British Studies), course: Performance and Performativity, language: English, abstract: "Another Country," a groundbreaking play by Julian Mitchell, debuted at Greenwich Theatre in London in 1981, catapulting the previously lesser-known playwright into the spotlight. This paper explores the play's significance as a cultural landmark, tracing its trajectory from the Greenwich Theatre to the West End and its recognition at the 1982 Society of West End Theatre Awards.

The play, loosely based on the life of Guy Burgess, a member of the Cambridge Five spy ring, unfolds in an English all-boys public school in the early 1930s. Mitchell intricately examines the impact of the school's strict hierarchies and hypocritical stance on homosexuality on the protagonist's life. The narrative delves into the codes of silence surrounding sexual activities in public schools, suggesting that such environments taught boys the art of concealment and, in extreme cases, led to acts of betrayal against their country.

This paper aims to unravel Mitchell's claims by investigating the incorporation of social criticism into the play. It delves into the questions posed by Mitchell: What is the significance of the codes of silence? How does the play critique the prevailing societal norms of the time? Lastly, the paper explores the presented image of homosexuality and espionage in "Another Country" and examines the intricate correlation between the two.