The National Canon and the National Theatre: adaptation, (re)telling and national identity

This project examines literary adaptations by the National Theatre (NT) since 2007. Centred on four case studies ('Frankenstein', 'Small Island', 'Jekyll and Hyde', and 'War Horse') my research will interrogate the way in which these texts are, or have become, part of the literary canon and examine their interplay with concepts of national identity. It will determine how such adaptations have entered an (inter)national consciousness and examine the influence of the NT on texts studied at GCSE and A Level. The research will advance discussion about the role of this institution in creating the narrative of a diverse nation in the 21st century.