Arnold Wesker

Japan, you've mentioned, South America, Sweden, Germany—these are all places where your plays have been performed virtually continuously. They like your work there. In Britain that's not always the case. Why do you think that is?

You must ask them. Maybe there's a tone to my writing that isn't English. I mean, I feel very English. I feel fiercely English. I feel as fiercely English as I do Jewish. But it's perhaps not in my writing. Perhaps there is uh an intellectual European continental tone which um sits uncomfortably on the English scene.

You said a moment ago, Arnold Wesker, that writers must make it as difficult as possible for themselves. Can you explain that a little bit more?

Yeah, I think everything has to be earned in art. I think ev everything has to be earned in life. But in art I think of my mother in Jinsuit with Bahali. She was very proud of me, but she was also a little upset that um I'd shown her quarrelling with my father, and I had to say to her mum, Around the world where this play is performed. The character of Sarah comes out as a heroine. But heroines aren't perfect, their flaws have to be revealed. So the heroicness of the character of Sarah has to be earned and the flaws have to be shown.

Given that you were very ill [in recent months], did you have time and inclination to think about your own mortality and to think about what you've achieved over all these years? Are you satisfied?

No, because I keep feeling there's that elusive masterpiece around the corner. There's more that has to come together. to make me write something really That I feel will be memorable and and last through all time. I think One or two of the players might. I think Roots might, The Kitchen might, The Four Seasons might. But that Balzacian novel has still eluded me, I feel.