Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader is an invaluable resource for students of physically orientated theatre and performance. This book aims to trace the roots and development of physicality in theatre by combining practical experience of the field with a strong historical and theoretical underpinning.
In exploring the histories, cross-overs and intersections of physical theatres, this critical Reader provides:
- six new, specially commissioned essays, covering each of the book’s main themes, from technical traditions to contemporary practises
- discussion of issues such as the foregrounding of the body, training and performance processes, and the origins of theatre in both play and human cognition
- a focus on the relationship and tensions between the verbal and the physical in theatre
- contributions from Augusto Boal, Stephen Berkoff, Étienne Decroux, Bertolt Brecht, David George, J-J. Rousseau, Ana Sanchez Colberg, Michael Chekhov, Jeff Nuttall, Jacques Lecoq, Yoshi Oida, Mike Pearson, and Aristotle.
Author(s): John Keefe, Simon Murray
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 320
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
