My research explores gay playwriting practice in the 21st century, focusing on the representation(s) of queer masculinities in British mainstream theatre (2000 – 2016). My intention is to establish whether this practice perpetuates, or subverts, a recent tendency of western culture to normalise queer masculinities. I will utilise Lisa Duggan’s notion of homonormativity (2003) to investigate if there is a reproduction of heterosexual norms perpetuated by the practice, and in doing so, evaluating the marginalisation of queer masculinities within mainstream British theatre.
Research Aims:
• To question how gay male playwrights de/construct hegemonic ideologies of masculinity.
• To investigate the extent in which queer masculinities are represented in British theatre.
• To evaluate if gay playwriting practice perpetuates or subverts a heteronormative matrix for queer masculinities.
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