What Impression of Childhood Does Dennis Potter convey in the Audience in the play "Blue Remembered Hills"?

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What Impression of Childhood Does Dennis Potter convey in the Audience in the play "Blue Remembered Hills"?

'Blue Remembered Hills' was written in 1984 by Dennis Potter. The play, however, is set during the Second World War and the action takes place over a summer afternoon. Two key things to bear in mind when studying the play are that it was originally written for television and the seven year old characters are always played by adults.

The play helps remind the audience that childhood is not always as much fun as we like to remember. Many critics have suggested there are striking parallels between Potters' experiences as a child and the events of the play.

The play "Blue Remembered Hills" is entirely about children, no adults are ever present throughout the play. This might be because it shows how children act in the absence of adults. Without the attendance of adults in the play the children have nobody to obey so they have the freedom to do as they please. This results in the children fighting for superiority and playing games that always seems to end in some sort of tragedy. "The flames seem to swell and belly out suddenly. Donald, in alarm, scurries for the door. And it slams shut - bang!" Donald burning alive happens at the end of the play which reminds people, children especially, that normally when children have too much fun they go too far and everything ends in calamity. The children in the play are clearly affected by living during the War with a 'Prisoner of War' camp stationed just a short distance away. The children are, throughout the play, pretending to be fighter pilots or paratroopers fighting the War; this could be another reason for the kids to be in an aggressive mood which leads them to fighting for leadership and to find out who is the most powerful, just like the countries are doing in the World War. "Say that once more and I'll tith down your throat. (He raises his fist) Say it once more, that's all."
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In 'Blue Remembered Hills' all the cast (even the children) are played by adults. Adults' playing the role of children affects the audience because it shows that children so young aren't able to cope with acting in such a way.

In the play the children generally organise themselves into groups; Boys vs. Girls or in another special rank. Also the children are very quick to take sides when the group has an argument, 'You're counting two quick, 12...13...14...15' showing that children are very open minded and always say what they think without worrying about any consequences.

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