Racing Demon

The British Trilogy #1

by David Hare

In conflict with government, torn with internal dissension on matters of doctrine and practice, the Church of England finds itself enjoying unwelcome publicity. David Hare's play, which details the struggle of four clergymen to make sense of their mission in South London, opened to universal acclaim.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre, Religion, British Literature, School

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Sir David Hare (born 5 June 1947) is an English playwright, screenwriter and theatre and film director. Most notable for his stage work, Hare has also enjoyed great success with films, receiving two Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing The Hours in 2002, based on the novel written by Michael Cunningham, and The Reader in 2008, based on the novel of the same name written by Bernhard Schlink.

On West End, he had his greatest success with the plays Plenty, which he adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep in 1985, Racing Demon (1990), Skylight (1997), and Amy's View (1998). The four plays ran on Broadway in 1982–83, 1996, 1998 and 1999 respectively, earning Hare three Tony Award nominations for Best Play for the first three and two Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. Other notable projects on stage include A Map of the World, Pravda, Murmuring Judges, The Absence of War and The Vertical Hour. He wrote screenplays for the film Wetherby and the BBC drama Page Eight (2011).

As of 2013, Hare has received two Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globe Award nominations, three Tony Award nominations and has won a BAFTA Award, a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and two Laurence Olivier Awards. He has also been awarded several critics' awards such as the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and received the Golden Bear in 1985. He was knighted in 1998.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ha...

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at the state of the Anglican Church in late twentieth century England, Racing Demon has some powerful moments and interesting character beats. But the story doesn’t fully gel, leaving some of the character arcs dangling in the wind. There are some ambitious ideas here: I found the push-and-pull between young, ambitious Tony and jaded, intellectual Lionel the strongest part of the play. I would have liked more of that, as I felt like Hare didn’t fully delve into the complexities of that conflict and how both men could be both right and wrong simultaneously. Still a worthwhile read. Recommended.

[even · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting ideas and good dialogue! Nice to see clergy members as fleshed out humans

[Nick Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought David Hare’s play about the Labour Party looked interesting but then I noticed it was the third section of a trilogy, so I began at the beginning with the first one. The three plays are not narratively linked, rather each looks at a British institution. Racing Demon does the Church of England. However, I was a bit uncertain about David Hare. I like the idea of political theatre, but the reality is often very narrow. If a writer wants to make their politics clear, there is always the danger that this becomes a straightjacket, clarity excluding uncertainty or complexity, narrowing the reader or viewers response to the work. And when I started reading Racing Demon I thought it was all a bit obvious: it set out its ideas with clarity, but I suspected its seriousness was in its presentation of Big Ideas – at first it felt a little like Bernard Shaw but without the witty one liners. But it won me around as it went along. The story centres on the Reverend Lionel Espy, a vicar in a largely poor area of south London; but his congregation also includes some important Conservative MPs who don’t like his political sermons and the Bishop, the Right Reverend Charlie Allen, is trying to remove him. At the same time there is a new member in Espy’s team, the Reverend Tony Ferris, who has just been overwhelmed by a sense of evangelical calling and he is horrified at Espy’s lack of purpose. For me the most interesting thing about the play is its uncertainty...or its balance. From my largely liberal perspective Espy is a sympathetic character, someone who is doing his best in an impossible situation, and Ferris, in is slightly bullying certainties, is unlikeable, but Ferris’s criticisms of Espy, that he is directionless, ineffectual and confused in his faith and purpose, seems valid. The Church of England seems to be an institution where the good men (and they are men in the play) are doomed to failure. If the clash between Espy and Ferris illustrates opposing views of the Church’s spiritual purpose, the attempts to remove Espy remind us that it is a political institution...and one with large egos. There are a series of sub-plots, such as the one drawing the strange relationship between Espy and Stella Marr – she is Ferris’s former lover (from his pre-evangelical days) and comes to warn Espy of the plotting that is going on behind his back...she is also a figure of disillusioned faith. And there is a plot about a gay vicar and a tabloid journalist trying to sniff out dirt – the journalist is probably the weakest thing in the play, too much of an easy caricature. Racing Demon is a political play because it investigates a political institution, examining power and principle – its sympathies are probably obvious, but these are not shoved down our throats. Is it all a bit too clear in its purpose? A little too obvious, lacking the contradictions and emotional uncertainties of great writing? A little middle brow? I’m not certain, but overall I thought it was a fascinating work.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me queasy as it exposed the spiritual lives of its characters. So honest and sad.

[Danielmarrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Racing Demon" is an absorbing story of faith and doubt among priests leading a dying London church. The church's vicar, Reverend Lionel Espy, faces criticism from his bishop for putting works of mercy and advocacy for the poor above liturgy and wider evangelization. That sentiment is shared by Lionel's colleague, the young Reverend Tony who believes every congregant's crisis is an opportunity to evangelize. "I don't approve of cashing in on others' unhappiness," Lionel tells him. Lionel has the support in the parish's two other priests, the energetic Rev. "Streaky" Bacon, and sympathetic Rev. Harry Henderson, but it becomes clear that his leadership is in question.
As pressure mounts for his ouster, we learn more about the lives of the four priests. Lionel struggles with a depressed wife and alcoholic daughter. Tony's romantic relationship with an agnostic woman is imperiled as he becomes more convinced of the need to evangelize. His fervor sets him on a path help those trying to oust Lionel. Alliances are formed, and trust is broken as the story approaches its climax.
I found this play absorbing, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever questioned their faith, and how to best live in accordance with it. If we believe, how are we called to express it in the world? Are good works enough, or are we called to spread our faith to others?

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: Audiobook || Libby | LA Theatre Works

“You’ll never get me. You know. You won’t get anyone. I’ll tell you why. Because life in this country is such a bloody sewer. But what people still have, which is theirs, which belongs to them, which is precious is what happens in private. Ay, that’s right. And that’s why you want it.”

Beautiful play and truly the most honest play I've heard relating to the church. They are real people dealing with real issues and not some aggrandized version that is not relatable and an idea of what they need these people to be in order to fulfill their fantasy. Although I'm not part of this community anymore, I still am very protective that if they're going to speak in the theater, at least let it be based in reality and not a fantasy. Beautiful.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

uhhh not gonna lie... i did not think a play about the church of england was going to be very interesting or relevant to me... but god does Hare know how to write a compelling story that, essentially, is mostly people sitting around talking to each other.

how much action we actually engage in while just 'sitting around talking'.

[Rubadingyrapids · Rating 3 out of 5]

The character of Tony was interesting. There were good moments and intriguing ideas here and there but it felt like it never delved deep enough into any of them that they all felt quite surface level.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although written in 1990 Hare’s play still speaks powerfully into the complexity and drama of life, faith and the Church of England.

[Francis Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better at the theatre than reading the play.

[laila* · Rating 2 out of 5]

so meh i can hardly think of what to say…had a few good moments?

[Samantha4550 · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5

[Leo Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot!

Interesting characters battling to do good in the world—if only they could all agree how. Isn’t that just the way!

[Cave Empter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very compelling discussion of faith, religion, and faith in organised religion. Best when its characters are grappling with the clash of contemporary issues (AIDS, Globalisation, Feminism) and the archaic attitudes of the CofE. Primary cast are pretty fantastic but unfortunately some feel very undeveloped — in particular Harry and Frances both have so much to explore and their underdevelopment makes their fates feel slapdash. Dialogue very strong, would love to see this onstage.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

-خدایا تو رو به هرکی دوست داری دورت رو یه نگاهی بنداز. نگاه کن تا بتونی تکلیف موضوع رو روشن کنی. درست عین پایین کشیدن کرکره‌ست. خدایا من می‌رم جایی که کسی اسمت رو هم نشنیده باشه. یه جور دیگه بگم، اینکه می‌رم جایی که تو نباشی.[لبخند می‌زند]


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ترجمه‌ی خیلی بد، با غلط های نگارشی و حتی املایی! ولی حدس می‌زنم کتاب خوبی بوده باشه در اصل.:))