팽창주의 성향의 피터 홀의 RSC 운영 방식

Abstract

As the founding Artistic Director of the RSC(1960~1968), the first and a large-scale public institution in the modern UK theatre, Peter Hall(1930~2017) recorded a new chapter in the history of modern theatre through his panoramic artistic and administrative policies. Replacing the age-old tradition of the ''Actor-Manager System'' in the British theatre company management, his emergence signalled the arrival of professional artistic directorship as the ''director- administrator''. Hall founded the RSC with a year-round season from a limited season under the festival structure of its preceding institution, Stratford Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. The foundation of the RSC conditioned the establishment of a permanent company whose predominant members were actors. That was also the realization, for the first time in Britain, of the semi-permanent company with a three-year contract which allowed a creative environment suggesting a basic financial security. With a purpose to establish its inherent acting style to be nurtured by continuous training and work, this concept of company, had originally been derived from the inspiration of those renowned ensemble theatre companies in the European continent. However, unlike them in which the leader''s individual aesthetics had become the principles, Hall''s overall artistic guideline with a particular emphasis on the verse-speaking, aimed at a high quality production. Resisting the past insistence on Shakespearean productions only policy in Stratford since its birth in 1879, Hall opened a London base at the Aldwich Theatre, so as to allow for a dual geographical existence. It was conceived to connect the seasons of the local and the capital cities through company productions. Contrary to the former''s so-called ''Bardolatory'' tendency, the Aldwich''s repertory in which new and modern plays, as amalgamated with other classical works, heralded the RSC''s artistic identity. While intending to achieve a Shakespearean relevance, Hall sought to co-existence and mutually complementary values between the new and modern works with the former, Shakespearean plays. Hall''s vision as such was, indeed, a revolutionary one which called for a paradigm shift in running public theatre institution. His consistent effort made to realize that vision led, finally, to construct the company acting style and the resulting high quality productions. Nevertheless, as the ironic epithet the ''RSC empire'' building recalls, Hall''s over expansionism and frequently an impulsive ambition had to collide with a characteristic financial deficiency in non-profit organizations. Despite his many aggressive strategies to win the necessary amount of government subsidy, the RSC faced with critical financial troubles as its competitive NT took the precedence over it. Hall’s management style of the RSC which is characterized as the expansionist inclination, resulted in a success only in a limited sense. He was able to realize his ideal to create the company acting style by means of founding and operating a semi-permanent company within the RSC structure, and through which he contributed to the development of the modern British theatre. Nevertheless, Hall’s overall leadership that was characteristically expansionist tendency lacked in a consistent policy, principle, philosophy, and methodology.