The Edinburgh Companion to Modernism in Contemporary Theatre

This book explores the complex relationship between modernism and contemporary theatre, including canonical and lesser-known artists, through a range of case studies from around the world. It connects modernist studies with theatre and performance studies, offering an eclectic mix of essay formats and approaches. The volume highlights modernism as an impulse that can be carried forward to the present, re-embodied and re-encountered in theatrical performance, continuing the modernist imperative to make it new and engage meaningfully with the contemporary world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 488 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Modernism's intricate relationship with contemporary theatre is explored in this comprehensive volume, encompassing both canonical and lesser-known theatre artists. It offers an expansive range of case studies, showcasing theatre from various parts of the world, while also connecting modernist studies with theatre and performance studies. Methodologically diverse, the book includes historiography, performance analysis, textual analysis, and practice as research, providing a rich tapestry of essay formats and approaches. Essays by leading theatre scholars, modernist specialists, and theatre practitioners offer an eclectic mix of perspectives, including creative contributions.

The volume highlights modernism as an impulse that continues to shape and inspire theatrical performance in the present day. It demonstrates how modernist principles ignite contemporary theatre, perpetuating the modernist drive to create new and meaningful engagements with the complex realities of contemporary life.

Through a diverse array of contributions, the book explores the legacy of modernism on the world stage, examining acts of remembrance, restaging, transmission, and slippage. It delves into both well-known and lesser-known aspects of modernist theatre history, addressing topics such as the revival of the first Black American musical, feminist and disability-led reinterpretations of canonical modernist plays, the use of modernist-inspired performance practice in contemporary university arts education, and the ongoing debates surrounding the meaning and significance of the avant-garde.

By examining these diverse case studies, the volume provides valuable insights into the ongoing dialogue between modernism and contemporary theatre, shedding light on the ways in which the past continues to inform and influence the present. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, theatre practitioners, and anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of theatrical expression and its relationship to modernist ideas.

Dimension: 244 x 170 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474495042
Edition number: 208,910 ed.