Theatrical Context Research Articles

Commemorating festive performances in popular print in sixteenth‐century Italy☆

AbstractThe aim of this article is to show that the popular print sold and distributed during and after festive events, such as Carnival, had an impact on the commemoration and shaping of festive culture in early modern Italy. That is, the mass medium of print that had begun to shape European cultures, especially in Italy where Venice was one of Europe's first major printing centres, created festive pamphlets and small books that were attractive for individuals in various cities in Northern and Central Italy. This becomes apparent not only from the sources themselves but also from the connections that exist between these sources and historical and theatrical contexts. A study of popular print related to festive events addresses the most important criticisms of festival studies, namely that festivals were primarily local affairs, which would prevent researchers from making a meaningful contribution to festive culture studies on a larger scale. This article aims to overcome this by studying a selection of affordable pamphlets and small books, presenting the Carnivalesque text La guerra di Carnovale contro la Quaresima, which was intended for large audiences.

Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and the Absurd Theatre

The research consists of three sections and conclusion. Section one deals with the idea of absurdity in the modern world has attracted many writers to thereby portray the bitter reality of a society being dominated by the discourse of modernism Section two focuses on Samuel Beckett's life and his works. In addition, Beckett places his characters in a dreamlike setting in his two-act tragicomedy Waiting for Godot (1948). The play has been criticized by a number of people; in 1953, Jacques Audiberin called it "a perfect work which deserves a triumph". Studies in Section Three Anticipating Godot as an Absurd Drama: The paper concludes with a list of references and a conclusion.. This study examines the meaning-seeking process, existentialist themes, and the human condition in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot within the context of absurd theater. The play's repetitive dialogue and austere setting make it an ideal illustration of the absurdist belief that life is meaningless. The research looks at how the characters, Vladimir and Estragon, interact to show how their waiting for the illusive Godot symbolizes the pointlessness of life and the fight against hopelessness. The ridiculous routines and mutual dependence of the characters highlight the alienation and loneliness that come with living in the contemporary world. By situating Waiting for Godot in the context of Absurd Theatre, this research emphasizes Beckett's innovative use of language and structure, which challenges traditional narrative forms and invites audiences to confront the complexities of existence. Ultimately, the study reveals how Beckett's work serves as a poignant commentary on the human experience, encapsulating the essence of Absurdism through its exploration of time, identity, and hope.

Girish Karnad’s Hayavadana : A Thematic Analysis

The essence of folk drama and its expressions, particularly within the context of Indian theatre, using Girish Karnad's play "Hayavadana" as a case study. It highlights how folk drama encapsulates the mindset, lifestyle, and societal perspectives of specific regions, transmitted orally or through performances. Karnad's reworking of folktales and myths for contemporary issues is discussed, emphasizing his fusion of classical and folk elements in his plays. The abstract explores the use of various folk theatrical devices such as Sutradhar, masks, dolls, and actor-audience interaction in "Hayavadana" to convey complex themes of identity, completeness, and the human condition. It also touches upon the adaptability and improvisational nature of folk stories and their relevance across time and space. Overall, it presents a comprehensive analysis of theme of folk traditions inform and enrich contemporary theatre practices.

Josip Tavčar na stečišču kultur

In the 1950s, Josip Tavčar won wide acclaim from theatre goers attending the Slovenian National Theatre in Trieste for his first drama, which was a reflection of the sentiment of the citizens of Trieste at the time. Tavčar gained recognition over night, and in his subsequent plays extended the topics of external appearance and consumerism to the degradation of ethical rules and lust for power. Thematically, he was inspired by world events and spoke of the Slovenian bourgeoisie, who lived in accordance with the historical legacy of their environment. Within the context of theatre, part of literary criticism viewed Tavčar’s ability to establish his own subjectivity and his endeavours for the promotion of his own discourse as an extraordinary achievement. When, in Trieste in the 1970s, the presupposition of the suffering foreigner whose life goal is to preserve Slovenian identity became predominant, the original Trieste discourse lost significance. Tavčar persisted and continued to analyse the contemporary reality of Trieste outside the established models. Forty plays, a number of essays and many critical reviews, lecture cycles and translations bear witness to this.

Playing Dead: The Post-Tragic Impact of Child Actors in Simon Stone’s (2020) and Anne-Louise Sarks and Kate Mulvany’s (2012) Medea

This article examines two adaptations of Euripides’ Medea by Australian-born directors/playwrights Simon Stone (2020) and Anne-Louise Sarks with Kate Mulvany (2012). With a focus on the child actors who played Medea’s sons in each production, the article examines the ways in which their performances contributed to the affective impact of each work. Emphasising the modalities employed by each director to transpose the tragedy for the contemporary theatre stage, particularly providing the child characters with greater prominence in their respective versions than Euripides did, the article argues that the particularly ‘realistic’ performances of the children at once ruptured Medea as a tragedy while accelerating its post-tragic force in a contemporary theatre context. The realism of the children’s performances operated as the driving force behind making the tragic lynchpin of the play – their murders – all the more intensely felt. Case studies of each production are provided while situating these works within the broader contexts of children in performance for adult audiences in contemporary theatre.

Postgraduate Operating Room Nursing Students' Experiences with Blended Learning Combining Digital Learning Paths and Basic Skills Training as Preparation for Internship: A Qualitative Study.

Numerous pedagogical practices ought to be contemplated for the acquisition of practical aptitudes imperative to postgraduate operating room nursing education. The employment of digital technologies has emerged as a strategic focus in higher education and learning paths exhibit potential as a digital approach in nursing education. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of postgraduate OR nursing students who underwent a blended learning approach, which combines digital learning paths with skills training, and to explore how this approach prepares students to attain specific learning outcomes during their internship period. This qualitative study employed a descriptive, exploratory design and utilized focus group interviews facilitated by an interview guide to gather qualitative data. A purposive sampling strategy was employed, and the collected data were analyzed using a systematic text condensation approach. The analysis of the data revealed two main categories and five subgroups. The first category, "Blended learning serves as adequate preparation for internship," includes subgroups that highlight the advantages of diverse learning activities that aid in the development of a strong foundation in practical skills. The positive influence of peer collaboration fosters improved learning through social interaction, while the organization of the curriculum has a significant impact on students' learning experiences. The second category, "The importance of skills training and behaving in an operating theater context," consists of subgroups that emphasize the necessity of progressing from basic technical skills training to simulation pedagogy to ensure appropriate behavior in the operating room. Small group sizes, close monitoring, and assessment by educators contribute to effective learning. The integration of digital learning paths with skills training fosters a problem-solving approach and encourages active and collaborative learning. Skills training in small groups, timely feedback, and coordination among subject managers to handle the students' workload can create an optimal learning environment.

Constructing an Innovative Interactive Experience of Stage Visual Design for Augmented Reality in Costume Performance

Abstract Augmented reality (AR) technology has rapidly advanced across various domains, propelled by its robust interactive immersion and the seamless integration of real and virtual environments. However, its exploration and deployment in theatrical contexts remain limited. This study leverages the Kinect system to capture images during costume performances, employing algorithms for dynamic frame difference merging and human-computer interaction to detect performers’ body movements. Building on this, the study constructs a visually innovative stage for costume performances that enhances the interactive experience for the audience. Additionally, a multimodal emotion analysis model is utilized to assess audience emotions, demonstrating significantly higher accuracy and F1 scores compared to other emotion analysis models. This model effectively integrates speech, expression, and action, surpassing the performance of unimodal analyses in emotion recognition. Furthermore, the audience's experiential perception of stage lighting effects notably exceeds expectations (P=0.013 < 0.05), underscoring an enhanced interaction experience. This research substantiates the transformative potential of AR technology in stage design, offering audiences a more innovative visual and interactive experience, and serves as a valuable reference for future applications in this field.

Modern Ukrainian Theatre in the Dimension of Internet Culture

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of the functioning of the Ukrainian theatre of the second – beginning of the third decade of the 21st century in the dimension of Internet culture. Research methodology. The principle of scientific objectivity, analytical, cultural, systemic, typological, and structural-functional method was applied to generalise the theoretical and methodological foundations of the study of Internet culture, to identify the peculiarities of the functioning of modern Ukrainian theatre in the cultural environment of the Internet. Scientific novelty. The trends of the development of modern theatre culture were studied through the prism of the specifics of the Internet space. The cultural environment of the Internet was considered as an important factor in the functioning of theatrical culture in the modern digital society. The peculiarities of the representation of modern Ukrainian theatre in the Internet space were revealed using the example of interactive sites and virtual tours. The concept of "Internet culture" was clarified. Conclusions. Internet culture forms a high level of general human culture due to the property of representing modern progressive cultural practices; oriented on the principles interconnected with modern culture (montageability, clipability); characterised by dynamism, interactivity, variability, a special ratio of heterogeneity and unity. The Internet space represents a new dimension of interaction between the theatre and the audience, the discovery of new ways of creating and presenting theatre, as well as new forms of interaction between the actor and the audience in these theatrical contexts. It acts as a part of cultural communication, in which multimedia technologies allow creating a new type of communication, and the Internet is a channel for broadcasting. The consequence of this is the formation of theatrical content as a specific sphere of the Internet environment. The nature of these changes is a promising subject of further scientific reflection. At the current stage, the Internet space and its cultural environment lead to the emergence of innovative ways to satisfy the informational needs of potential theatre viewers, provide forms of presentation of Ukrainian theatre and opportunities for interactive engagement that are relevant for the modern digital society. Keywords: Internet culture, Internet, theatre culture, digital society, Ukrainian theatre, official sites, virtual tours.

Job embeddedness and missed nursing care at the operating theatres: the mediating role of polychronicity

BackgroundPerioperative missed nursing care is a serious issue that can compromise patient safety and quality of care. However, little is known about the factors that influence perioperative missed nursing care.AimThis study aimed to examine the effects of job embeddedness and polychronicity on perioperative missed nursing care as well as to test the mediating role of polychronicity on the relationship between job embeddeness and perioperative missed nursing care.MethodThis was a cross-sectional correlational study that used a convenience sample of 210 operating room nurses from nine hospitals in Egypt. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires that measured job embeddedness, polychronicity, and perioperative missed nursing care. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables.ResultsThe findings demonstrated a significant negative and moderate association between missed perioperative care and both nurses’ job embeddedness and polychronicity. Moreover, there was a moderately positive and significant correlation between polychronicity and job embeddedness. Path analysis revealed a significant positive causal effect between job embeddedness and polychronicity. The results of mediation revealed that the indirect effect of job embeddedness on missed care through polychronicity was statistically significant; suggesting that polychronicity partially mediated this relationship.ConclusionThis study sheds light on the intricate relationship between nurses’ job embeddedness, missed care, and polychronicity in the operating theater context. By enhancing job embeddedness and fostering polychronicity among nurses, healthcare organizations can reduce perioperative missed care and ultimately improve patient care outcomes in this critical healthcare setting.

Examining the Morality of the U.S. Atomic Bombings: Strategic Necessity or Controversial Decision?

The morality of the two atomic bombings conducted by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has long raised contention among both strategists and the general public. This paper discusses the strategic context of World War IIs Pacific theater and proposes that despite the unprecedented cruelty casted on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by atomic weapons, the bombs were dropped out of the strategic necessity to bring a swift end to the war. By reviewing the diaries of key commanders, the U.S. Armys reports and forecasts of a land invasion of Japan, and account of Japanese resilience and unfathomable refusal to surrender under conventional circumstances, this study demonstrates that by forcing an early Japanese surrender, the atomic attacks obviated a land invasion of Japan, which would have inflicted much heavier casualties and thus provide the moral underpinnings of the atomic weapon attacks.

Dancing on the Strand: The Adelphi Theatre’s Dance Repertoire, 1840–1860

Dance was ubiquitous on the early Victorian stage but theatre dance of the period has received little critical attention. Examination of the repertoire of the Adelphi Theatre in London in 1840–1860 shows that dance occurred in a wide range of theatrical contexts including melodrama, farce, extravaganza and burlesque. The Adelphi also specialised in adaptations of Romantic ballets that combined spectacle, narrative, dance and song. In such theatre pieces dance could be not only decorative, but also fully integrated into the structural and thematic contexts in which it was embedded. In The Enchanted Isle, for example, dance makes a suggestive contribution to the political agenda of the play.

Art Is Magic

Art Is Magic

Exploring Potential Relationships Between the Fabula of LXXJudith and Hellenistic Theatre

It is well known that LXXJudith displays an innate suitability for theatrical interpretation or re-enactment. Previous research findings have revealed that the Greek language of LXXJudith, by default, prompts an urgency for immediate and dramatic action and strongly suggests the influence of orality. In this regard, Wills has gone so far as to suggest that some aspect of LXXJudith might have once been performed at dinners or during Jewish festivals. It is in this speculative spirit that this paper explores the text of chapter 13 from LXXJudith to determine why it is so suitable for dramatic re-interpretation as a stage production or visually entertaining (albeit didactic) re-enactment. Here, the authors cautiously consider the possibility that important key events in LXXJudith 13 may have been informed by a Hellenistic Jewish stage play/theatrical performance or was written as a consequence of observing Greek theatre for its final structure. The authors make deliberate use of key aspects of Storey and Allan’s performance criticism theories and accordingly attempt to recreate elements of a hypothetical performance of chapter 13, based solely on the Greek text, in order to determine the most likely meaning that would have been conveyed to a Hellenistic Jewish audience. Consequently, a reconstruction of possible conditions on stage plus the effects of the accompanying dialogue are hypothesised. The authors do not claim that there is any undisputed evidence that LXXJudith was ever staged as a theatrical performance in the Hellenistic period. However, from the standpoint of performance criticism they conclude that indeed, there are various elements present in the Greek text that would have made it easy to perform in a theatrical context.

Three Early Shaw Plays That Interrogate Marriage, the Family, and Women’s Roles (Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Candida, and You Never Can Tell)

Three Early Shaw Plays That Interrogate Marriage, the Family, and Women’s Roles (Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Candida, <i>and</i> You Never Can Tell)

The use of the BASIC Ph model as an additional listening tool for Playback Theater performers and conductors: An exploratory study

This exploratory study seeks to assess the integration of the BASIC Ph model of coping and resilience with Playback Theater, as a tool that can be used by performers to provide a distinctively attuned presentation of the story to the teller. The BASIC Ph model proposes that people respond to life in six different coping styles or “languages”. This study compared the experiences of five tellers who each witnessed two versions of their story: a standard Playback Theater performance and one that was informed by the BASIC Ph model. Qualitative analysis of written and filmed data was carried out following the BASIC Ph method, including an analysis of the tellers’ coping styles using three sources: the Six Part Story Making technique, the story told at the performance, and a semi-structured interview with the tellers. The performances themselves were also analyzed following the BASIC Ph method. Methodological difficulties, especially regarding the coding of nonverbal, theatrical material through the BASIC Ph method are discussed.The findings suggest that applying the BASIC Ph model may help the performers to refine the resonance experienced by the tellers and that incorporating the BASIC Ph model in a Playback Theater context, particularly a therapeutic one, may result in a greater impact and resonance for the tellers.

Phosphorescence and Potential Antibiosis Secondary to Photorhabdus Luminescens Wound Contaminations at the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee 1862

During the American Civil War, contemporary accounts describe a peculiar luminescence phenomenon associated with untreated injuries sustained by fallen troops after the Battle of Shiloh (6-7 April 1862). While not experienced by all soldiers, field surgeons observed that the glow was somehow linked to reduced rates of wound infection and better outcomes. Given the wet springtime weather and unsheltered overnight conditions of the injured, it is plausible that some lacerations or punctures were incidentally infected with microscopic contaminants, including common soil nematodes. One endemic group likely present on riverbank groundcover is fam. Heterorhabditidae, a symbiotic host to Photorhabdus luminescens. Classified within the Morganellaceae, this Gram-negative pathogen is characterized by its unusual life cycle. With particular relevance to Shiloh, this sequence includes a blue-green phosphorescence phase accompanied by release of protein toxins having local antibiotic properties. Here, natural progression of this microbe from nematode symbiont to lethal secondary insect parasite lodged in an unclean wound is considered. Photorhabdus life-cycle is discussed as a component of the Martin-Curtis Hypothesis (2001), with new information on fluorophore isolation and recent genomic sequencing data. The Shiloh campaign is also placed within the context of the larger Western Theatre, noting that the engagement marked the heaviest Civil War casualty toll up to that point.

Philippe Quinault, Théâtre complet, iv: Tragi-comédies historiques. Édition de William Brooks et Buford Norman

This latest instalment in the edition of Philippe Quinault’s complete spoken plays covers five tragicomedies that were premiered between 1657 and 1662. They mark a turning point in his career in multiple respects: he shifts from romanesque subjects to historical material, even if the plots are largely fictional; he aims to create greater psychological depth for his main characters; he gives the political dimension more prominence. Quinault’s practice reflects a change in the conception of tragicomedy as a genre occurring at the midpoint of the century: audiences lost interest in Spanish sources, preferring plots with a more serious overall tone and a historical foundation, thus increasingly moving the genre closer to tragedy. However, that shift was gradual, and Quinault’s later tragicomedies still rely heavily on such conventional devices as misunderstandings, coincidences, disguises, forged or misconstrued letters, and babies switched in infancy. Quinault presents his characters as serious figures, though the situations in which they find or place themselves are sometimes comic. They are usually not marionettes but rather complex people with individual personalities, and they sometimes experience internal conflicts. Quinault consistently endows his sympathetic characters with ‘la belle galanterie’ (a term he uses in one of his dedications), reflecting the influence of the salons, which he was now frequently attending. That milieu is also linked to some of Quinault’s favourite stylistic devices, such as irony, paradox, and maxims and reflections (mostly about love). While Quinault’s detractors rightly note the predominance of tendresse, love assumes multiple guises, and the plays can showcase darker emotions as well. Surprise comes in many forms, including scenes where characters say the exact opposite of how they feel and what we expect from them. The increased pressure of the bienséances also influences the treatment of potentially tragic themes such as incest (skilfully, if unhistorically, avoided at the last minute in Le Mariage de Cambise and Stratonice). Two plays are closer in tone to tragedy (Amalasonte and Agrippa, where there is greater use of suspense and more melodramatic character opposition), while the other three plays have a more light-hearted feel. William Brooks and Buford Norman are meticulous in their editing. The texts are presented with great care, with only a small number of obvious errors, while the critical apparatus is of good quality. The analyses of the individual plays are solid, noting how each work fits both into the playwright’s overall corpus and the Parisian theatrical context. As leading experts on Quinault’s biography, they provide interesting and often new information about the circumstances behind the plays’ composition. They also shed new light on such matters as the plays’ initial reception and original casting, while questioning the traditional view that Nicolas Boileau was targeting Stratonice in his Satire III. These plays are enjoyable to read, but their main interest is literary-historical, as indications of popular taste (all five were well received, and some of them were very ­successful), and as marking a stage in Quinault’s evolution towards the finest works of his mature period: the late tragedies and the opera libretti.

Visuality in Peter Scherhaufer’s European Events

The present study deals with the main features of visuality in European para-theatrical and theatrical events (1978-1993) authored by the theater director of Slovak origin Petr Scherhaufer (1942-1999), the co-founder of the legendary Goose on a String Theater in Brno in the then Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. These events were almost always hosted and prepared by theater groups and artists from Eastern and Western Europe. They were unrepeatable because of their atmosphere, humanist message, but also form. They often connected old theater and other forms with known visual (and not only) codes of today and with the socio-political signs of the time, creating interactive and highly authentic-looking and experiential forms. The study is also based on P. Scherhaufer’s and P. Oslzlý’s opinions on the function and meaning of the work of GOST, which is connected to the analyzed forms. It also relies on a wide range of available archival materials and the author's own experience with the creations of GOST. The core of the study is focused on a pragmatic analysis of the European events, their main features, the essence of visuality and the symbolic elements of the language used. Mainly in the conclusion, the findings are embedded in broader philosophical, aesthetic, anthropological and theatrical contexts (M. Eliade, E. Fischer-Lichte, J.TH. Lehman, R. Scherchner).

Theatre and Socio-Cultural Aspects in the Novels of Badal Sircar

Badal Sircar, a pioneer of Indian theatre, is renowned for his innovative approach to drama, but his influence extends beyond the stage. This study delves into the socio-cultural dimensions embedded in Sircar's novels, exploring how his literary narratives mirror the societal fabric of their times. By analyzing his novels, this research seeks to uncover the profound interplay between theatre and socio-cultural aspects within his written works. The study begins by situating Sircar's novels within the broader context of Indian literature and theatre, outlining the historical and cultural forces that shaped his creative expressions. Furthermore, the research probes the impact of Sircar's socio-cultural critiques on readers and society. It investigates how his novels shed light on prevailing issues, prompting readers to reflect on the complexities of the human condition and the societal forces that shape it. The study also underscores the role of Sircar's novels in providing historical and cultural documentation, allowing readers to peer into the past while contemplating contemporary relevance. In conclusion, this study illuminates the intricate interplay between theatre and socio-cultural aspects in the novels of Badal Sircar. By analyzing the thematic depth, narrative techniques, and socio-cultural commentaries within his novels, it highlights the enduring significance of his literary contributions beyond the realm of theatre. Through this exploration, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersections between literature, theatre, and society, and their collective impact on cultural narratives.

김지선의 미디어 퍼포먼스 &lt;슬픔의 집&gt;에 나타난 메타연극성

The House of Sorrow is a digital game-based performance piece that stages a video game as the platform to stage themes of memory, thoughts, and their transformations through streaming. This piece is takes the form of a metagame that deals with game within a game, as it employs the artist-created game contents as its central narrative element and welcomes the audience to a virtual theater on a Minecraft map. Yet, from a different point of view, The House of Sorrow simulates stage and theater through the double structure of the game that stages both the diegetic narrative space and the non-diegetic empirical environment. In this context, the argument of this study is that the aesthetic dimension of this piece is noticeable through the apparatus and grammar of theater. This paper thus posits The House of Sorrow as a performing art and investigates the dramatic function of the game-narrative and the staging characteristics of the game-streaming in order to examine the heterogeneous space that unfolds between the performance and digital media. The game “The House of Sorrow” as dramatic text has a self-reflexive and self-referential nature, but the meta-usage of this game operates through its relationship with another world via game-streaming. The game-streaming that mediates the virtuality of the game and the reality of the performance generates the theatrical structure of the performer’s role-playing and the spectators’ game-watching, so creating an interplayable environment for game-playing. Thus, The House of Sorrow appropriates the most trend in popular media culture and registers it within the context of theater, overlapping game and theater ― and what emerges amidst the double would be theater, or play in the most original sense.