' What I do is owing to a perfect rage and resentment.' wrote Swift. His fierce satire depended on an ideal alternative, but is satire possible without Utopias?
Dr Alan Downie of Goldsmiths' College, reflects on our understanding of such work as John Gay 's Benaar's Opera, and argues that satire has dwindled to ' laughing with a few friends In a corner
(Polly, an Opera Thurs
7.15 pm)
