Michael Billington’s A to Z of modern drama
The Guardian’s theatre critic on what makes modern theatre tick
Z is for zanies
Michael Billington: In the final instalment of this theatrical A-Z, it's time to pay tribute to the clowns, fools and comic performers who have made me laugh inordinately over the years – and thank you too for reading
Y for Young Writers
Michael Billington: It's never been a better time to be a young playwright – but are we missing out on older voices?
X is for xenophobia
For decades, Britain ignored European, African and Asian theatre. But do we now have an uncritical acceptance of anything foreign, asks Michael Billington
W is for women
Michael Billington: From Lilian Baylis to Caryl Churchill, women have made modern British theatre what it is. And though things still aren't equal, that's a fact worth celebrating
V is for verbatim theatre
Michael Billington: Theatre that incorporates the words of real people has never been more popular – and has proved itself infinitely flexible
U is for university theatre
Michael Billington: British drama's secret weapon is university-trained talent – from the venerable theatre societies of Oxbridge to world-beating modern drama departments
T is for Kenneth Tynan
Kenneth Tynan's criticism and personality tower over British theatre in the 50s and 60s. Today, his impact is no less felt, writes Michael Billington
S is for Stanislavsky
Michael Billington: The Russian director and theorist is undoubtedly the greatest single influence on modern acting and – despite everything that's changed in the last century – what he has to say is still vital
R is for regional theatre
Some say that England’s rep theatres need a revolution if they’re to have a future. Perhaps instead they could learn from the past
Q is for queer theatre
Michael Billington: The gay and lesbian theatre movement has changed radically since the oppressive days of the 1950s, but could more writers rise to the challenge of contemporary issues?
P is for political theatre
Michael Billington: It may not be able to topple governments, but it informs, illuminates, entertains and raises awareness – and it's impossible to imagine life without it
O is for Laurence Olivier
Michael Billington: Olivier wasn't just a great actor – he was a quintessentially modern performer, who cast a powerful spell over audiences
N is for national theatres
Michael Billington: The dream of a national theatre has happily come to pass, not only in England but in Wales and Scotland, too. But is regional theatre under threat as a result?
M is for musicals
Michael Billington: Long gone are the happy days when the musical was a source of innocent pleasure. They have become cultural juggernauts, devoid of risk-taking
L is for lousy plays
Michael Billington: The age of the genuine theatrical stinker is over. But there are still plenty of terrible things to watch out for ...
K is for Jan Kott
Michael Billington: The largely forgotten Polish professor, who drew a connection between Shakespeare and 20th-century European theatre, had a huge impact on modern-day theatrical culture
J is for Jewish dramatists
Michael Billington: Just as Jewish folk culture influenced Hollywood cinema, modern theatre has also been shaped by Yiddish tradition
I is for illusion
Michael Billington: Suspension of belief can be a powerful theatrical tool, but should we be more emotionally detached from what's happening in front of us?
H is for David Hare
The playwright has put up with my running commentary for 40 years. But no one else so tenaciously exposes society's frailty
G is for Tyrone Guthrie
Michael Billington: He may be relatively little-known, but this giant of a director changed theatre for good – not least in his campaign to break down the proscenium arch
About 26 results for Michael Billington’s A to Z of modern drama 
