Scenes of the Crime: Returning to the Past

Analyzes Michelanne Forster's play, "Daughters of Heaven." Points out that the play mixes fact (the actual murder of Honora Parker by Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme) and fiction, re-presenting the past in the light of the present. The play presents the murder as rejection of 1950...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Modern drama 1997-04, Vol.40 (1), p.111-122
Main Author:	Stachurski, Christina
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	1900-1999 20th century Adaptations Analysis Bacchae Children's literature, English Crime in literature Daughters of Heaven Drama Dramatic theory Euripides(480-406 B.C.) Forster, Michelanne Gender Theory History & criticism History and criticism Hulme, Juliet Lesbianism Murders Murders & murder attempts New Zealand New Zealand drama New Zealand literature Parker, Pauline Police & crime Portrayals Relationships Sex Roles Sexuality Social aspects Stage Production Taboo theatrical production
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Summary:	Analyzes Michelanne Forster's play, "Daughters of Heaven." Points out that the play mixes fact (the actual murder of Honora Parker by Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme) and fiction, re-presenting the past in the light of the present. The play presents the murder as rejection of 1950's feminism and socially defined roles for women. Explores the play's themes, including violence to subvert social conditioning of women; rejection of established "repressive," patriarchal religions in favor of Dionysian celebration of natural, expressive life forces; challenges to gender roles; and the ambiguity of sexual relationships. Analyzes and compares three productions of this play in New Zealand.
ISSN:	0026-7694 1712-5286 1712-5286