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<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><i>This is your rhetoric translated. These wretches, these executioners, the guillotine are your speeches come to life. You have built your doctrines out of human heads... </i><i>Why should an event that transforms the whole of humanity not advance through blood?</i> <br/><br/>1794: the French Revolution reaches its climax. After a series of bloody purges the life-loving, volatile Danton is tormented by his part in the killing. His political rival, the driven, ascetic Robespierre, decides Danton's fate. A titanic struggle begins. Once friends who wanted to change the world, now one stands for compromise the other for ideological purity as the guillotine awaits. <br/><br/>A revolutionary himself, George Büchner was 21 when he wrote the play in 1835, while hiding from the police. With its hair-raising on-rush of scenes and vivid dramatisation of complex, visionary characters, <i>Danton's Death </i>has a claim to be the greatest political tragedy ever written. In his newly-revised translation, Howard Brenton captures Büchner's exhilarating energy as Danton struggles to avoid his inexorable fall.<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><p><b>Georg Büchner </b>is widely acknowledged as the forefather of modern theatre. On his death at the age of 23, he left behind some outstanding dramatic works: his historical drama, <i>Danton's Death</i>, 'the most remarkable first play in European culture' (Guardian), the innovatory tragedy, <i>Woyzeck</i>, and the absurdist comedy, <i>Leonce and Lena</i>. <b>Howard Brenton</b> had written for the Royal Court, RSC, and the National before <i>Romans in Britain </i>(1980) was famously prosecuted by moral crusader, Mary Whitehouse. In addition to many plays, he has been a lead writer on TV's <i>Spooks</i>. His recent work for the stage includes <i>Paul</i> (National), <i>In Extremis </i>(Globe) and <i>Never So Good </i>(National).</p>

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