In this essay I am going to look at the work Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men (Dead Dreams) by Lloyd Newson, performed by the Physical Theatre Company DV8. I will focus on the way homosexuality is represented within the piece.

I will then look at the work of the playwright Oscar Wilde (1854 -1900) and the painter Francis Bacon (1909 -1992) in order to examine how homosexuality was represented within their art and make comparisons with Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men. I will try to show how the representation of homosexuality within art at different times reflects the prevailing attitudes towards homosexuality of the time.

I will examine how each artist used their creativity to put forward ideas and messages about their personal experience of homosexuality, and the extent to which this was influenced by the society in which they lived. Although these artists lived in different eras I believe they shared a similar attitude to the pain, suffering and frustration that homosexuals were forced to feel when existing within a society which regarded their natural sexual orientation with prejudice and lack of understanding.

Homosexuality was a criminal offence in the UK until 1967. Before this date homosexuals could be imprisoned gay males had to risk various punishments from society for their behaviour which was not condoned by the establishment.

Because of this many homosexuals experienced conflict: either to not follow their natural sexual desires and live a lie, of follow them and risk exposure as a criminal and perhaps even prison.

This forced homosexuals into a world of guilt and secrecy which is still resounding within homosexual culture today.

Even though attitudes towards homosexuality can be said to me more liberal today, for many people homosexuals are still strongly associated with unnatural acts and perversion not just on an individual basis but also be institutions such as the Catholic Church.

2 Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men

In 1986, Lloyd Newson formed the Physical Theatre Company ‘DV8’ and he is the main choreographer of DV8’s work. Newson is renowned for exploring and attacking the forbidden in an attempt to challenge society’s views of various issues and, in particular, homosexuality. Newson addresses the distance created by mainstream or ‘straight’ society which pushes homosexuals to the fringes. (Hutera, 83, 2008)

Newson ‘has plac