Silence is a fictional play that takes place more than a thousand years ago in 1002 England. Silence draws upon historical figures and events but does not limit itself to presenting those figures and events with historical accuracy.  In addition, the show does not employ a vernacular reflective of the time period it is set, nor does it shy away from regularly having its characters speak using anachronisms such as “Boyfriend”, and “Diaphanous” (Harper). The Playwright Moira Buffini creates a play that is hard to categorize, as it employs a series of conventions which inhibit the play from being any particular genre or style that is easily discerned. Given the fact that the plot of the play concerns itself with characters refusing (or at least trying to refuse) societal labels and categorization, it makes sense that the play itself would refuse such labels and categorization as well. The world of Silence, though visibly illustrated as taking place is the past uses many anachronistic characteristics in a pastiche fashion to more easily accommodate a modern audience. By having these gestures towards present day in the midst of a time that far precedes it, it becomes achievable for an audience to be distanced enough to remain critical without forfeiting the ability to empathize.

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By enlisting the help of a pastiche collaboration between the “here and now, and the there and then”, Silence is able to showcase modern sentiments and behaviors towards relevant themes within the context of a different time. In the theatrical sense pastiche means to imitate (typically a style), without commentary on what is being imitated (Dyer). The purpose of pastiche is not to parody, but rather to recycle; to draw on familiarities, and then to place those familiarities in a new context with the purpose of making something new (Jameson 80). Silence is pastiche by nature in the fact that it draws on a series of things familiar to its target audience (present day humans, and their fears and desires), and places those familiarities in a new context (Medieval England). For example, beyond the anachronistic modern language used by the characters in the play, the themes of non-heterosexuality, confused identity, fear of the other, tyrannical forces, nationalism, and loss of agency/ pursuit of autonomy are all issues that remain familiar and relatable to audiences (people) today. By placing that modern parlance, and those relevant themes in the context of medieval England, something entirely unfamiliar is created, and that is pastiche. The play however historical, is not intended to be produced or interrupted as period piece. Silence instead is a play of hybridity, with the intent of exploring themes, and a timeless human condition and turmoil, rather than wanting to simply paint a pretty picture of 1002 England. These pastiche qualities found within the script help to create a familiarity as well as a necessary distance for its modern audience.  The familiarity of language and theme in Silence bridges the gap between a modern audience, and a story rooted so significantly far in the past, with characters that resemble ourselves today. While the distance of time and place, sustains a modern audience’s ability to remain critical and reflective over those same characters. By enlisting the help of a pastiche collaboration between the “here and now, and the there and then”, Silence is able to showcase modern sentiments and behaviors towards relevant themes within the context of a different time.  

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Work Cited

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Buffini, Moira. Silence. London: Publisher, 1999. Print. 11 Feb. 2016.

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Dyer, Richard. Pastiche. n.p.: London ; New York : Routledge, 2007., 2007. Library Catalog.   

           Web. 5 Apr. 2016.

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Harper, Douglas. "Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web.

           11 Feb. 2016.

Jameson, Frederick.“Postmodernism and Consumer Society”Brooker, Peter, Ed.

           Modernism/Postmodernism. New York: Longman, 1992. Web. 24 April. 2016.

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Work Referenced

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Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

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The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Christine Ammer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,

           2013. Credo Reference. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.

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Cohan, Steven. "Pastiche." Screen 48.4 (2007): 547-550. Film & Television Literature Index

           with Full Text. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.