Open Wounds: Holocaust Theater and the Legacy of George Tabori

This volume collects original essays on Hungarian-German playwright and screenwriter George Tabori (1914–2007) and his contributions to the stage. Tabori, a Jewish refugee and a transnational author, was best known for his work in New York theater that irreverently explored the Jewish experience, particularly the Holocaust. His work has received scant attention in American letters, despite its significance for U.S. theater and Holocaust studies. The volume brings together the voices of international scholars to provide a comprehensive introduction to Tabori's theater and in-depth analyses of his work, discussing all of his major plays.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 14 February 2022
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

This comprehensive volume presents a collection of original essays dedicated to the renowned Hungarian-German playwright and screenwriter George Tabori (1914-2007), exploring his remarkable contributions to the stage. Tabori, a Jewish refugee and a truly transnational author, gained fame for his irreverent exploration of the Jewish experience, particularly the Holocaust, in New York theater. Despite his illustrious career spanning a century, two continents, multiple languages, and various literary genres, Tabori's work has received limited attention in American letters, despite its profound significance for U.S. theater and Holocaust studies.

Prior to Tabori, most dramas about the Holocaust tended to fall into two distinct categories. On the one hand, there were those that sought to establish a strong empathetic connection between the audience and Holocaust victims, employing American domestic realism as their approach. On the other hand, there were dramas that adopted an unembellished documentary style, aiming to present a factual and objective account of the events. Tabori, however, carved out a third position, transcending both realism and documentation.

The volume brings together the insights of international scholars, offering a comprehensive introduction to Tabori's theater as well as in-depth analyses of his works. Individual essays delve into various aspects of Tabori's theater, encompassing his postdramatic theater in relation to sacrificial ritual, performance studies, and post-humanist approaches to the contemporary stage. They also explore the performance aspects of his productions, raise ethical and aesthetic questions raised by his theater, and examine the ways in which his plays engage with Holocaust representation in popular culture.

Through these essays, readers gain a deeper understanding of Tabori's unique artistic vision and his profound contribution to the world of theater. His work challenges conventional narratives and encourages audiences to confront the complexities and horrors of the Holocaust in new and thought-provoking ways. George Tabori's legacy continues to inspire and influence theater practitioners and scholars worldwide, ensuring that his powerful and enduring contributions to the stage will be remembered for generations to come.

Weight: 468g
Dimension: 157 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472132843