Created in February 2011, this page provides information on the work, in theater and film, of the British playwright Sir Terence Rattigan (1911-1977). It will be updated throughout the year.
Though [Rattigan's] twenty-four plays are not flawless, the clarity of conception and construction in the majority [is] outstanding. They have "good bones"--a prime requisite for aging well, and a startling contrast with the degrees of calcium deficiency evident in other playwrights of the last thirty years. . . .
It will take time and greater familiarity with Rattigan's plays for . . . critics to shed prejudices against well-made plays, to appreciate Rattigan's meticulous craftsmanship, and to recognise all the levels of meaning within it. . . .
Rattigan's work will be better and more widely appreciated when the universality of the psychological problems he dramatizes is acknowledged. . . .
The respect for individuals conveyed in Rattigan's characterizations was extended to his actors and audiences through the trust he placed in both. This trust, which rests upon [his] use of dramatic implication, is proving well-founded with succeeding generations of performers and playgoers. . . .
Rattigan's ability to challenge actors and to stir audiences lives [on].
-- Holly Hill, "Rattigan's Renaissance," Aristos, inaugural issue, June 1982 (posted online in Aristos, February 2011).
NOTE: Celebration of Terence Rattigan's centenary is in full swing in the U.K., as documented on the official website devoted to him and on the Facebook page for the centenary. Productions of Rattigan plays abound there, and the British press is taking ample note. Sad to say, however, America has thus far been virtually oblivious of the occasion. For shame! It seems that only two theater companies are mounting productions (see below), and not one major periodical has as yet noted the anniversary.
Readers are urged to contact the editors of Aristos regarding new U.S. productions of the plays, as well as reviews and relevant articles (both online and print). Suggestions and corrections for this page are always welcome.