Timberlake Wertenbaker: A Pioneer in Postmodern English Drama

Early Life and Educational Background of Timberlake Wertenbaker

Timberlake Wertenbaker, an influential playwright, was born on February 19, 1951, in New York City. She is the progeny of Lael Wertenbaker, a writer, and Charles Wertenbaker, a journalist. Her formative years were spent in the culturally rich Basque region of France, where she developed a deep appreciation for literature, particularly the adventure novels of Alexandre Dumas. This early literary immersion, coupled with her exposure to French theatre, would later inform her dramatic works. The loss of her father in 1955 was a profound event that introduced themes of loss and displacement into her life, motifs that would recur in her later writing. Wertenbaker pursued higher education in philosophy at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, where she engaged with the philosophical texts of the Western canon, including the works of Plato, which would influence her intellectual and artistic development.

Professional Beginnings and Theatrical Breakthrough

Timberlake Wertenbaker's professional journey began with a departure from a caption writing position in New York, as she sought a more fulfilling path. In 1975, she moved to Somerset, England, where she worked as a stable hand and began to explore playwriting. After a brief stint back in New York, she settled on the Greek island of Spetse in 1976, where she taught French and wrote her first play, "The Third," which was later published in 1980. Her playwriting career took root in London in the late 1970s, and by the 1980s, Wertenbaker had become a prominent playwright. She held residencies at the Shared Experience Theatre Company and the Royal Court Theatre, where she honed her craft and contributed significantly to the British theatrical scene.