Posted on 21 February 2012 at 19:24h

I took a critical look at the drama trio - dead, white, men - and decided to look at the female playwrights listed on the Language A list. First of all, there are only six of them. Second of all, I went to Waterstone's on Gower Street, four stories and where much of the University College of London folk go book shopping. I found two of the six. Caryl Churchill and Sarah Kane. Sarah Kane is not someone I can teach in my classroom. Rape, sex with guns, cannibalism, and she sadly committed suicide before age thirty. Has anyone taught this to their students? Is there an equivalent male playwright who has put these things into words, and on stage, and been taught in high school English classes? Who chose her to put on the list, and based on what criteria? Shock factor? Pulp fiction resemblances? I have nothing against experimental theatre and pushing the limits of the expressable, but am not sure this is the best choice for the Literature A book list. Have a look.