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Cato Street
"Robert Shaw's new play "Cato Street" is a dramatisation of the events leading up to the ill-fated Cato Street conspiracy of 1820. This was an attempt by certain working-class men and women to murder the entire British Cabinet. Frustrated in their demands for parliamentary reform by savagely repressive laws rigidly enforced, ordinary people turned to violence as a means of making their protest public."
104 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1972
25 people want to read
About the author
Robert Shaw
9 books28 followersRobert Archibald Shaw was an English actor and novelist, remembered for his performances in From Russia with Love (1963), A Man for All Seasons (1966), The Sting (1973), and Jaws (1975), where he played the shark hunter Quint.
In addition to his acting career, Shaw was also an accomplished writer of novels, plays and screenplays. His first novel, The Hiding Place, published in 1960, met with positive reviews. His next, The Sun Doctor, published the following year, was awarded the Hawthornden Prize in 1962.
In addition to his acting career, Shaw was also an accomplished writer of novels, plays and screenplays. His first novel, The Hiding Place, published in 1960, met with positive reviews. His next, The Sun Doctor, published the following year, was awarded the Hawthornden Prize in 1962.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 21, 2017
Actually, this play reads very well - I think it could be successfully staged in a "Brechtian" style that would bring out its most powerful moments.
On the other hand, it does seem like "an unforced error" to give the villain of the piece - Lord Sidmouth - so much stage time and such a long speech - at the end of the second act. It would have been much more "satisfying" to bring Cobbett back at the end - but he doesn't appear in the second act at all.
"Cato Street" was staged for the first time at the Old Vic theatre in 1972, with Vanessa Redgrave and Bob Hoskins in leading roles. I'd love to see a video or film of that production!
On the other hand, it does seem like "an unforced error" to give the villain of the piece - Lord Sidmouth - so much stage time and such a long speech - at the end of the second act. It would have been much more "satisfying" to bring Cobbett back at the end - but he doesn't appear in the second act at all.
"Cato Street" was staged for the first time at the Old Vic theatre in 1972, with Vanessa Redgrave and Bob Hoskins in leading roles. I'd love to see a video or film of that production!
April 27, 2012
Quint from Jaws channels Karl Marx in a stage play with more anti-capitalist venom than a year of NPR.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews