The Second Birth of Theatre

This book examines performative practices of Anglo-Saxon monks and provides fresh insights into the origins of early English theatre. The author argues that modern European theatre was reinvented in medieval monasteries and demonstrates the fundamental incongruences between ancient and Christian performativity.

This book presents a new approach to early English theatre by exposing a genuine relationship between monastic performances and theatricality. It argues that modern theatre was reinvented in Anglo-Saxon monasteries by monks who were required to transform themselves by disciplining their bodies and performing complex religious acts. After extensively surveying the monastic and liturgical sources of theatre the author reconstructs the XII-century staging of the Anglo-Norman «Ordo representacionis Ade» and demonstrates the fundamental incongruity between the ancient and Christian performativity. On a more personal note he concludes with comments on references to the monastic rule in «Performer», a programmatic text by Jerzy Grotowski.

Autorentext

Miros aw Kocur is Head of Cultural Studies at the University of Wroc aw and Professor at L. Solski Theatre Academy for the Dramatic Arts. His research focuses on studying acting techniques and reconstructing the origins of performing practices. He is the author of «On the Origins of Theater».

Zusammenfassung
«[...] dem Autor [ist] ein inspirierendes, reich bebildertes Buch gelungen, dessen Übersetzung sich gelohnt hat und das von einem breiten Wissen des Verfassers zeugt.»
(Jörg Sonntag, H-Soz-Kult Nov. 2017)BR> Vollständige Rezension hier lesen

Inhalt

Caedmon Monk as performer Anglo-Saxon liturgy Regularis Concordia Monasticism Body performances Church and theatre Medieval theatre Transubstantiation Mass Christian performing arts Performativity Quem quaeritis Ordo Representacionis Ade Jerzy Grotowski