Theatre as an Encounter
STEPHEN ATKINS [Vancouver] Grotowski believed that the text itself did not have objective value. The strength of a great work lies in its catalytic effect, on all elements of the performance including space, spectators and performers. The words themselves do have an importance, Grotowski refers to classical texts as “a message we receive from previous generations” (p. 55) and values them because they throw a new light on our own condition. But these, by themselves, are literature, not theatre. Its value is in its role as the context for an encounter between creative people. I imagine that Grotowski includes the audience in this statement because he has often made reference to the audience as actively participating in the self-analysis it is provoked into. It is echoed in Peter Brook’s suggestion that the director must direct two ensembles; the performers and the audience.
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| The posts under the category “Book Discussion” are a collection of notes and correspondences I had with my students. I am very pleased to read that people are using them as a source of study. They are opinions only and are not to be taken as a replacement for reading the primary source. I hope you find them to be a good starting point. Thanks for reading! |
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