Little monsters: gothic children and contemporary theatrical performance

The Gothic, in literature, in film, and on the stage, seems to possess a particular fascination with children. This chapter, in the first instance, introduces an exploration of the representations of children in the post-war British theatre, as both objects and agents of horror, from Kane’s Blasted to McPherson’s The Weir. Secondly, the chapter will examine the emerging appeal of plays such as Jack Thorne’s adaptation of John Lindqviste’s Let the Right One In, and Phillip Pullman’s Grimm Tales which use the tropes, aesthetics and properties of the Gothic as fertile ground for making theatre for young audiences