Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Παγκόσμιο Θέατρο: Πράξη - Δραματουργία - ΘεωρίαLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Kritikou Aimilia-Alexandra
Supervisors info:
Πλάτων Μαυρομούστακος, Καθηγητής Τμήματος Θεατρικών Σπουδών, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Original Title:
Στα ίχνη του θεάτρου-ντοκιμαντέρ: Η πρώτη εμφάνιση του θεάτρου-ντοκουμέντο στο νεοελληνικό θέατρο
Translated title:
In search of documentary theatre: First appearance of theatre of fact in modern Greek theatre
Summary:
In recent years, one can detect a notable trend in modern Greek theatre, marked by a steadily increasing number of performances focused on social issues and current events, which incorporate all kinds of documents, archival materials and oral testimonies in the performance text; these performances form part of a practice generally referred to as documentary theatre. It is a recognizable movement within the political theatre tradition in Europe and, as far as the modern Greek theatre is concerned, its origin can easily be traced back to the German theatre of fact. This newly-established dramatic form was introduced in the Greek theatre in the 1970s; the reception was not limited to staging foreign plays, but it also fostered a remarkable local version responding to the demands of Greek theatre practitioners and adapted to the wider sociopolitical circumstances of the time. Greek playwrights assimilated this foreign dramatic form in a creative way to produce original plays. In addition, reception became associated with the artistic endeavours of avant-guard theatre companies in their quest for radical transformation of theatre practice, centred on new ways to communicate with the audience as well as changes in the theatre-making process and the work of theatre practitioners. Overall, theatre of fact, as an agent political speech, gained a significant share in the Greek theatre of the time, which was attributed to both the special sociopolitical circumstances and the general conditions that determined local theatre practice. Starting from the mid 1960s, this paper attempts to outline the introduction and subsequent presence of performances belonging to the threatre of fact in the modern Greek theatre until 1981, when the last relevant Greek play was produced. This mosaic of reception and creative assimilation of the theatre of fact consists of the informative contribution of daily and periodical press and the publication of relevant plays which initially enabled both artists and the audience to become acquainted with this dramatic form, as well as the performance practice itself comprising local productions of both foreign and Greek plays. The paper, which is by no means a detailed and thorough account, aspires to illustrate the main features of the complex process that led to the emergence of the theatre of fact in modern Greek theatre for the first time.
Main subject category:
Fine arts - Entertainment
Keywords:
documentary theatre, theatre of fact, political theatre, testimony, documents, Petros Markaris, Giorgos Skourtis, Marieta Rialdi, Giorgos Michailidis
Number of references:
194
