A Clockwork Orange on stage

Abstract

This article explores the theatrical adaptations of Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange, with discussion of the very first adaptation by John Godber in 1976; its important relationship with Burgess’s own adaptation A Clockwork Orange: A Play With Music published in 1987; and Burgess’s subsequent involvement in a new version, A Clockwork Orange 2004, by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1990. There is also consideration of the legacy of Burgess’s adaptations and the continuing popularity of the play in performance. The article considers the relationship of the stage adaptations to Kubrick’s 1971 cinematic adaptation and its resonance and influence on the stage adaptations. The article draws upon archival material held at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation.