Immigrants as ‘Others’ of 21st Century Britain: Ethnicity, Culturo-Religious Identity and Critical Race Theory in Rachel De-lahay’s Social RealistPolitical Theatre

Abstract

This article addresses Rachel De-lahay and her plays The Westbridge (2011), Routes (2013), and Circles (2014) aiming, in a broad sense, to observe De-lahay’s theatre in terms of the contradictory nature of identities inexorably fluctuating among multicultures, and the representation of reality as represented within the milieu of dramaturgical fundamentals. To what extent the characters’ language is used as a theatrical armament in the making of identity, as well as the playwright’s strategy in using dramatic basics to represent the conflicting identities are subjected to this exploration. As well as this, to what extent the cultural and identity conflicts are evolved into the dramatic conflict will be illuminated through the playwright’s oeuvres. The religious and traditional views regarding culturo-religious behaviourism that partly constitutes cultural structure and identity will also be associated. These will be blended with the playwright’s socio-political and socio-realist point of view; relevant analyses will be conducted and De-lahay’s approach to the concept of ‘other’ will also be considered. In addition to all these, the recent signs of race and racism— with a keen interest in non-white portrayals—and their direct influence on the immigrants in Britain-as represented in the plays- will be included in this exploration in relation to race theory.