Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader

Book Cover......Page 1
Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
List of figures......Page 14
Notes on contributors......Page 16
Thanks, acknowledgements and permissions......Page 24
Introduction......Page 30
SECTION 1: Genesis, Contexts, Namings......Page 36
Essay 1 Claire Heggen goes fishing......Page 38
CHAPTER 1 Etienne Decroux: My definition of theatre......Page 46
CHAPTER 2 Ana Sanchez-Colberg: Altered states and subliminal spaces......Page 50
CHAPTER 3 David E.R. George: Performance epistemology......Page 55
CHAPTER 4 J.-J. Rousseau, Citizen of Geneva: Letter to M. d’Alembert on the theatre......Page 60
CHAPTER 5 Augusto Boal: Theatre, human beings......Page 61
CHAPTER 6 Marcel Mauss: Body techniques......Page 67
CHAPTER 7 Terry Eagleton: Morality......Page 71
SECTION 2: Roots......Page 74
Essay 2 Roots or routes; the technical traditions of contemporary physical theatre......Page 76
A Deep traditions: classical and popular......Page 84
CHAPTER 8 Aristotle: The art of poetry......Page 86
CHAPTER 9 David Wiles: The performer......Page 89
CHAPTER 10 Alan S. Downer: Irving......Page 92
CHAPTER 11 Jeff Pressing: Improvisation......Page 95
CHAPTER 12 Mel Gordon: Lazzi......Page 108
CHAPTER 13 Jeff Nuttall: A jewel on the nation’s arse......Page 117
CHAPTER 14 Peter J. Arnold: Sport, the aesthetic and art......Page 121
CHAPTER 15 Joan Littlewood: Goodbye note from Joan......Page 124
B Hybrid pathways......Page 126
CHAPTER 16 Mel Gordon: German Expressionist acting......Page 128
CHAPTER 17 Anaïs Nin: The theatre and the plague......Page 132
CHAPTER 18 Allan Kaprow: A statement......Page 135
CHAPTER 19 Patrick Campbell and Helen Spackman: Surviving the performance......Page 138
CHAPTER 20 Enrique Pardo: The angel’s hideout......Page 141
SECTION 3: Contemporary Practices......Page 144
Essay 3 Gesturing towards post-physical performance......Page 146
CHAPTER 21 Steven Berkoff: Introduction and East, scene 4......Page 152
CHAPTER 22 Samuel Beckett to music by John Beckett: Act without words......Page 156
CHAPTER 23 Emilyn Claid: Re-dressing the girls......Page 160
CHAPTER 24 Norbert Servos: Bluebeard......Page 163
CHAPTER 25 Forced Entertainment; Text by Tim Etchells: Club of no regrets......Page 165
CHAPTER 26 Mike Pearson and Cliff McLucas, John Keefe, Simon Murray: ‘On Brith Gof’, a montage of material about and concerning the work of Brith Gof, a Welsh Theatre Company......Page 171
CHAPTER 27 Franc Chamberlain: MAG – the next five years 1997–2002......Page 180
SECTION 4: Preparation and Training......Page 186
Essay 4 Reframing the journey......Page 188
CHAPTER 28 Etienne Decroux: Photo essay......Page 194
CHAPTER 29 Michael Chekhov: To the actor......Page 198
CHAPTER 30 Anne Dennis: The articulate body......Page 213
CHAPTER 31 Jacques Lecoq: Movement technique......Page 216
CHAPTER 32 Myra Felner: Circus and the actor......Page 222
CHAPTER 33 Yoshi Oida and Lorna Marshall: Moving......Page 225
SECTION 5: Physicality and the Word......Page 228
Essay 5 Physical theatre and text......Page 230
CHAPTER 34 Bertolt Brecht: On everyday theatre......Page 238
CHAPTER 35 Jonathan Kalb: Rockaby and the art of inadvertent interpretation, and Considerations of acting in the early plays......Page 242
CHAPTER 36 Mike Alfreds: A shared experience......Page 246
CHAPTER 37 Albert Hunt and Michael Kustow: US ‘Narrative one’, Albert Hunt, and ‘Narrative two’, Michael Kustow......Page 250
CHAPTER 38 Trevor Griffiths: Comedians......Page 258
CHAPTER 39 Robert Kimball and Stephen Sondheim: ‘Introductory essay’, by Robert Kimball and ‘Beautiful’, ‘Sunday’ (Sunday in the Park with George), by Stephen Sondheim......Page 262
SECTION 6: Bodies and Cultures......Page 266
Essay 6 Assembling our differences: Bridging identities-in-motion in intercultural performance......Page 268
CHAPTER 40 Patrice Pavis: Introduction......Page 278
CHAPTER 41 Eugenio Barba and Nicola Savarese: Pre-expressivity......Page 284
CHAPTER 42 Peter Brook: The world as a can opener......Page 288
CHAPTER 43 C.L.R. James: What is art?......Page 291
CHAPTER 44 Edward W. Said: Orientalism now......Page 294
Afterwords......Page 302
Index......Page 304