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A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology

The Secret Art of the Performer
4.25 goodreads logo

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( 112 ratings, 4 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology offers an insightful exploration into the diverse techniques of performers worldwide, contrasting Western naturalism with rich Eastern traditions. Compiled from years of research by Eugenio Barba and the International School of Theatre Anthropology, it serves as both a handbook for theatre practitioners and a vital resource for students and scholars. The text delves into elements such as balance, opposition, and montage, alongside concepts like The Text and the Stage, The Dilated Body, and Energetic Language. The revised edition enriches the experience with new chapters on Eurasian Theatre, Exercises, Organicity, and a compelling collection of photographs revealing the performer’s craft.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This foundational text is ideal for theatre practitioners, students, and scholars interested in transcultural performance and the physical craft of acting beyond conventional Western methods.

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First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

First Published in 2005, A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology subtly juxtaposes visual demonstrations of the performer’s craft, from a wealth of Eastern and Western sources. More than just a dictionary, this is a handbook for theatre practitioners and a guide for students and scholars of transcultural performance.

It is the result of many years of research conducted by Eugenio Barba and the International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA) based in Denmark, and is now a classic foundational text. Whereas most Western research is concerned with naturalism and psychological realism in acting, A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology focuses on the actor’s arduous and eclectic craft.

This work aims to expand our knowledge of the possibilities of the scenic body, and of the spectator’s response to the dynamics of performance. It includes practical sections on balance, opposition, and montage among other techniques, and discusses issues including The Text and the Stage, The Dilated Body, and Energetic Language.

This revised edition includes: three new chapters on Eurasian Theatre, Exercises and Organicity; 50 new photographs showing the performer’s craft in black and white and colour; and, for the first time, a useful bibliography and index.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviews describe the dictionary's entries as illuminating glimpses into varied performance techniques, from breathing methods in Japanese noh to eye movements in Indian kathakali. American Theatre highlights its potential to broaden actor’s perspectives, especially those rooted in 20th-century American realism, noting Schechner's essay on 'restoration of behavior' as particularly compelling.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780415378611

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 December 2005

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Routledge

Edition: 2nd edition

Illustration: 100 Illustrations, color; 550 Illustrations, black and white

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 210.0mm

Height: 297.0mm

Weight: 2480g

Pages: 320

About the Author

EUGENIO BARBA (1936) Italian born, emigrated to Norway in 1954 where he worked as a welder and seaman. From 1961 to 1964, he followed Jerzy Grotowski's work in Poland, publishing the first book about him, In Search of a Lost Theatre (1965). In 1963, after spending 6 months in India, he published an essay on kathakali, a theatre form previously unknown in the West. In 1964 he founded Odin Teatret in Oslo, transferring it in 1966 to Holstebro (Denmark) as the Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium. He has directed 32 productions which have been regularly presented in Europe, Asia, North and South America. In 1979 he founded ISTA, the International School of Theatre Anthropology, an itinerant institution with actors, dancers, musicians and scholars interested in investigating the principles of scenic presence. He has written many books and articles, amongst which The Paper Canoe. A Guide to Theatre Anthropology (Routledge 1994), Theatre: Solitude, Craft, Revolt (Black Mountain Press 1999) and Land of Ashes and Diamonds. My Apprenticeship in Poland (Black Mountain Press 1999). He has received numerous international awards and honorary doctorates. Nicola Savarese was born in Rome. Professor at the University Romatre (Rome), he teaches History of Theatre and Performance at Department of Performing Arts. His studies deal with the complex dynamic of the meetings between Asian theatres and Occidental theatre and the contemporary performers in different contex. He as travelled widely in Asia and particularly in Japan, where he lived for two years. On the relationship between Oriental and Occidental theatres he has published, among many other works, Teatro e spettacolo fra Oriente e Occidente (Theatre and Performance Beyond the Sea, Roma 1992, translated in Spanish), Parigi/Artaud/Bali (L'Aquila 1997), Training (Roma 2004). He is permanent member of ISTA (International School of Theatre Anthropology) since its foundation and he is editor of review Teatro e storia. He was guest scholar at Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles in 1999.

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