Presages of contemporary theatre studies theories in Vladimír Jindra's structuralist theory of scenography

Abstract

The study provides detailed analysis of the work of Czechoslovak theoretician of scenography, Vladimír Jindra (1920–1979). It focuses on Jindra's at the time innovative taxonomy of scenography which substantially supported the shift in today's worldwide understanding of the notion of scenography as a complex theatrical discipline. The aim of the study is to connect Jindra's work with contemporary theoretical approaches to theatre, especially rooted in multimodal and cognitive analysis of scenography. Special attention is given to the elements of Jindra's work that predated Multimodal Metaphor Theory. The study shows that his conception of scenography is connected to the structuralists' understanding of the socalled 'stage metaphor'. This exploration should therefore show the reader not only the progressiveness of Jindra's thinking about scenography, but also outline a view on possible future research in the field of multimodal and cognitive approaches to theatrical scenography.