Towards a Theatrical Jurisprudence

This book uses theatre theory to reimagine law as a practice of response and responsibility,grounding it in the formation of legal interpreters and challenging the antitheatricality of legality. It reveals that the liveliness behind theatrical jurisprudence has a long pedigree in law and challenges us to notice what we think we know and what we know of lives in law that are not our own.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 164 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This groundbreaking book delves into the intersection of theatre theory and law, offering a transformative perspective on legal interpretation and jurisprudence. By challenging the entrenched Baconian antitheatrical legality prevalent in legal practices, Marett Leiboff proposes a theatrical jurisprudence that draws inspiration from the post-dramatic theatre and the visionary work of Jerzy Grotowski. Instead of relying on an ideal rooted in Aristotelian drama and tragedy, Leiboff advocates for a shift towards a legal practice that recognizes the formation of legal interpreters, including lawyers, judges, and jurisprudents, as crucial in understanding what is "noticed" or overlooked in law.

The key to this reconception lies in the recognition that we "notice" most easily through the written body of the legal interpreter, a phenomenon that cannot be replicated through the standard practices of thinking and reasoning. Leiboff argues that thinking and reasoning are inherently antitheatrical, characterized by theatrical antonyms such as transgression and instinct. By embracing critical dramaturgy, the book reveals that the liveliness that underpins theatrical jurisprudence is not a novel concept in law but has a rich historical lineage that has been lost and obscured.

Theatrical jurisprudence demands a heightened awareness of self and the beyond, grounding a responsiveness that cannot be found within doctrinal principles or the technocratic. It challenges us to notice not only what we think we know but also what we know of lives in law that are not our own. This book will be of immense interest to scholars and students in the field of law, legal theory, and jurisprudence, as it offers a fresh and innovative approach to understanding the role of law in shaping our lives and societies.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367784690