The Routledge Companion to Performance Practitioners: Volume One

Description

The Routledge Companion to Performance Practitioners collects the outstanding biographical and production overviews of key theatre practitioners first featured in the popular Routledge Performance Practitioners series of guidebooks. Each of the chapters is written by an expert on a particular figure, from Stanislavsky and Brecht to Laban and Decroux, and places their work in its social and historical context. Summaries and analyses of their key productions indicate how each practitioner's theoretical approaches to performance and the performer were manifested in practice. All 22 practitioners from the original series are represented, with this volume covering those born before the end of the First World War. This is the definitive first step for students, scholars and practitioners hoping to acquaint themselves with the leading names in performance, or deepen their knowledge of these seminal figures. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Contents Acknowledgements List of contributors Introduction 1 Stanislavsky (1863–1938) 1.1 Biography in social and artistic context 1.2 Description and analysis of The Seagull 2 Meyerhold (1874–1940) 2.1 A life of contradictions 2.2 Meyerhold’s key production: The Government Inspector 3 Copeau (1879–1949) 3.1 The life of Jacques Copeau 3.2 Copeau’s ideas in production: Les Fourberies de Scapin 4 Laban (1879–1958) 4.1 Laban’s core: biography 4.2 The Tanztheater and analysis of a work: Die Grünen Clowns 5 Wigman (1886–1973) 5.1 Mary Wigman: a life in dance 5.2 Mary Wigman as choreographer: choosing the focus 6 Chekhov (1891–1955) 6.1 Biography and context 6.2 Chekhov as director 7 Brecht (1898–1956) 7.1 A life in flux 7.2 The Caucasian Chalk Circle: a production model 8 Decroux (1898–1991) 8.1 A Promethean life 8.2 Decroux as director/creator: how did Decroux make a performance? 9 Ohno (1906–2010) and Hijikata (1928–1986) 9.1 Butoh shapeshifters 9.2 Dances of death, sacrifice, and spirit 10 Littlewood (1914–2002) 10.1 Biography in political, social and artistic context 10.2 Description and analysis of Oh What a Lovely War Index