The Second Birth of Theatre
Performances of Anglo-Saxon Monks
Nonfiction, Entertainment, Theatre, Performing Arts, Biography & Memoir
| Author: | Miroslaw Kocur | ISBN: | 9783631709597 |
| Publisher: | Peter Lang | Publication: | April 11, 2017 |
| Imprint: | Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften | Language: | English |
| Author: | Miroslaw Kocur |
| ISBN: | 9783631709597 |
| Publisher: | Peter Lang |
| Publication: | April 11, 2017 |
| Imprint: | Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften |
| Language: | English |
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.
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.
