The Use of Asian Theatre for Modern Western Theatre

Beschreibung

This book is a historical study of the use of Asian theatre for modern Western theatre as practiced by its founding fathers, including Aurélien Lugné-Poe, Adolphe Appia, Gordon Craig, W. B. Yeats, Jacques Copeau, Charles Dullin, Antonin Artaud, V. E. Meyerhold, Sergei Eisenstein, and Bertolt Brecht. It investigates the theories and practices of these leading figures in their transnational and cross-cultural relationship with Asian theatrical traditions and their interpretations and appropriations of the Asian traditions in their reactional struggles against the dominance of commercialism and naturalism. From the historical and aesthetic perspectives of traditional Asian theatres, it approaches this intercultural phenomenon as a (Euro)centred process of displacement of the aesthetically and culturally differentiated Asian theatrical traditions and of their historical differences and identities. Looking into the displaced and distorted mirror of Asian theatre, the founding fathers of modern Western theatre saw, in their imagination of the 'ghostly' Other, nothing but a (self-)reflection or, more precisely, a (self-)projection and emplacement, of their competing ideas and theories preconceived for the construction, and the future development, of modern Western theatre.
This book is a historical study of the use of Asian theatre for modern Western theatre as practiced by its founding fathers, including Aurélien Lugné-Poe, Adolphe Appia, Gordon Craig, W. B. Yeats, Jacques Copeau, Charles Dullin, Antonin Artaud, V. E. Meyerhold, Sergei Eisenstein, and Bertolt Brecht. It investigates the theories and practices of these leading figures in their transnational and cross-cultural relationship with Asian theatrical traditions and their interpretations and appropriations of the Asian traditions in their reactional struggles against the dominance of commercialism and naturalism. From the historical and aesthetic perspectives of traditional Asian theatres, it approaches this intercultural phenomenon as a (Euro)centred process of displacement of the aesthetically and culturally differentiated Asian theatrical traditions and of their historical differences and identities. Looking into the displaced and distorted mirror of Asian theatre, the founding fathers of modern Western theatre saw, in their imagination of the 'ghostly' Other, nothing but a (self-)reflection or, more precisely, a (self-)projection and emplacement, of their competing ideas and theories preconceived for the construction, and the future development, of modern Western theatre.
Examines 'intercultural theatre' from the perspectives of traditional Asian theatres, not from the dominant perspectives of modern Western theatre
Uncovers information that has never before been available to English-speaking scholars
Engages with the important field of interculturalism and the problems of globalization

Autor*in

Min Tian

Themen in »The Use of Asian Theatre for Modern Western Theatre«

Appropriation Artaud Asian theatre Brecht Eisenstein Globalization Hybridization Intercultural theatre Occident Other Western theatre Yeats

Stimmen zu »The Use of Asian Theatre for Modern Western Theatre«

“Min Tian offers a valuable contribution to theatre history with a book that addresses the influence of Asian performance on western theatrical traditions. … For researchers and practitioners of Asian performing arts and interculturalism in performance, this book provides eye-opening insights into the ‘founding fathers of modern Western theatre’ and will be valuable as a key source to reposition occidental  aesthetics to better reflect the role ‘oriental’ performance has had – albeit in name and inspiration only – on their evolution.” (Jon Reimer, Modern Drama, Vol. 62 (4), 2019)

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