Theatre Review Research Articles

Theatre Reviews

Theatre Reviews

Feminism and Antifeminism in Romanian Theatre Criticism in Interwar Years

In Romania, during the interwar years, it seems that theatre reviews – much like theatre criticism in general, narrowly as it was and sometimes continues to be defined in Romania – was only considered legitimate if signed by men. There were but two timid exceptions, two female voices whose writings were partially recovered as late as 1978-1983 and have been insufficiently explored since: the poet and memoirist Otilia Cazimir, who worked as an inspector for the Ministry of Arts’ Theatre Directorate for a decade, and the aesthetics professor Alice Voinescu. This paper is an attempt to turn the spotlight not onto the two writers’ theatre-related activity, but rather to the way they engaged, in writing or in action, with the thorny issues of feminism. Their opposing standpoints – a feminism of emancipation vs. an anti-feminist type of feminism – still proves emblematic to our day for the specific way in which socio-cultural mentalities and perceptions on women’s condition in 20th-century Romania were preserved; it appears that post-socialist theatre criticism, especially from the decade 2000-2010, coalesced around the same positions.

The Emancipated Amateur: Rancierian Reviewing Practices and New Models of Theatre Criticism

The current proliferation of digital platforms and the reduction of arts coverage in mainstream media outlets in Canada has given rise to many theatre reviewers whose contributions to critical discourse are often dismissed because they lack professional legitimization. This article uses Jacques Rancière’s formulations of the ignorant schoolmaster and the emancipated spectator to interrogate the distinction between professional and amateur critics. It argues that participants and practices typically understood as amateur provide models of criticism that are pluralistic, affective, and inclusive. Analyzing three central case studies—a newspaper column featuring “regular” spectators, reviews by children and youth, and mentorship initiatives for emerging Black, Indigenous, and people of colour critics—the article demonstrates how amateurs challenge the notion of expertise as exclusive knowledge possessed by the elite. It highlights the benefits of opening up critical conversations during this crucial moment when the Canadian theatre industry is confronting its complicity in systemic injustices and seeking to attract new audiences.

Editor-in-Chief: Introduction to the Black Theatre Review, Environmentalism

the Black Theatre Review takes up the theme of environmentalism for Vol. 2.2. The contributors to this issue and some of the agents they cover through their work offer readers several considerations for why theatre as a medium is an important mode through which to explore this theme, namely its power to raise awareness about environmental issues, spark dialogue and encourage audiences to act within their communities.

Theatre Reviews

Theatre Reviews

Late Nineteenth-Century Radical Utopias in Theatre Reviews

Anne Charlotte Leffler’s Sanna Kvinnor (True Women 1883) is one of many gender-critical plays by Swedish women playwrights during the 1880s which linger in the shadows of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Sanna kvinnor certainly asks for a change of the prevailing gender norms in the 1880s, in other words, for a transformation into a better world, but how was this utopian drive staged at the theatres and how was it received by the theatre critics? By taking the theoretical point of departure in Slavoj Žižek’s notion of a radical utopia (2003), the aim of my article is to illuminate the reviewers’ perception of the stagings in the first production at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 1883 and in Albert Ranft’s touring production 1884–86. My archival sources mainly consist of reviews from which both the stagings and the reviewers’ reactions will be traced through a systematic method developed from the semiotics of Jurij Lotman.

Making Home, Unmaking Domesticity: Love, Joy, and Other-than-Human Worlds in Kamloopa

Kamloopa: An Indigenous Matriarch Story by Kim Senklip Harvey (Syilx and Tsilhqot’in) which won the 2020 Governor General’s Literary Award for English-language drama, has been discussed by critics and scholars especially regarding Harvey’s decision not to invite critics to write formal reviews of the recent production in Toronto and to only invite “love letters” from Indigenous women for the premier production in Vancouver. This article offers a reading of Kamloopa that unpacks how Harvey’s refusal and radically different kind of invitation to engage is in continuation with the world of Kamloopa. It focuses on celebrations of love and joy as assertions of cultural and bodily sovereignty rooted in Indigenous women’s love for each other and their relationships with the more-than-human world. Following the three women characters who leave their “white” apartment in East Vancouver to go on a road trip to the largest powwow on the West Coast, the article studies how Kamloopa disavows the politics of the colonial domestic as it relates to the history of violence on Indigenous women in residential schools and the MMIWG2S crisis. It discusses how the women in Kamloopa also reject confinement in colonial narratives of violence that are tied with the material confinement of domesticity. The article argues that Harvey’s refusal of formal theatre reviews is in continuity with the play’s resistance of settler colonial “domestication” of Indigenous women’s lives, relations, and art.

GENRE OF THEATRICAL REVIEW IN THE WORK OF N. V. GOGOL

The purpose of the article is to consider the ideological, thematic and genre features of the theater review in the works of Nikolay V. Gogol, as well as to identify the writer’s views on the development of the theater in the mid-1830s. Based on the analysis of the texts «Petersburg Notes for 1836» and «The Petersburg stage in 1835/36», the patterns of development of the Gogol’s aesthetic concept are determined. The writer perceives the theater as the center of the cultural life of St. Petersburg society, sees in theatrical art a huge potential for moral improvement and social transformation.In the discussions about the repertoire of the St. Petersburg stage, the ideas of the sacralization of art and the poet’s mission are manifested. N. Gogol attaches special importance to the genre of comedy – «spiritual», based on intellectual humor and satire.Gogol’s theatrical review is distinguished by such features as mosaic composition, essayization. Genre synthesis (review, writer’s notes, essays, etc.) and the widespread use of artistic visual and expressive means are noted as the most important features of Gogol’s criticism and journalistic works.The research contributes to the study of theater journalism and Gogol’s activities as a theater critic.

Theatre Reviews

Theatre Reviews

Essayistic Ventures in the Wake of Diasporas1

‘Essayistic Ventures in the Wake of Diasporas’ contributes to Contemporary Theatre Review’s ‘Hear Tell: Describing, Reporting, Narrating’ issue by examining performances through the essay form. The objectives of this article are twofold: to propose a nuanced vocabulary drawing from literary and film studies for describing these performances and to re-evaluate the essay form’s relation to documentary theatre. Focusing on artists such as Jaha Koo, Ogutu Muraya, Samah Hijawi, and Sachli Gholamalizad, the analysis identifies shared attributes in their solo performances, including a first-person perspective, a hybrid form, and a concentration on personal diasporic experiences intertwined with reflections on broader subjects. Utilizing the essay form as an analytical lens, the study explores how these performances contribute to a nuanced reflection on the complexities of diasporic lives. Tracing the evolution of the essay form, ‘Essayistic Ventures in the Wake of Diasporas’ positions the essayistic lens within performing arts, drawing on the revival of scholarly interest in the literary essay and the emergence of the essay film. The essayistic structure is dissected through case studies of Koo and Gholamalizad, revealing their adept navigation through subjective reflections, historical narratives, and societal critiques. The examination highlights the active role of the audience in this essayistic endeavour, emphasizing reflexivity as integral to the thought process. In conclusion, this article underscores the essayistic potential of diasporic performances, shedding light on nuanced engagements with history, memory, and self-reflection, while emphasizing the audience’s active participation in the essayistic endeavour.

«Он остался человеком глубины…» 90-летию со дня рождения В.Я. Лакшина посвящается

The article is written due to the fact that this year is the 90th anniversary of birth and 30th anniversary of death of philologist, literary historian and literary critic V.Y. Lakshin. For this reason, the article has a memorial nature. In this regard, general information is first given: education, places of work, creative interests. The influence of time on the formation of Lakshin’s personality is specially noted: this is both the Great Patriotic War and the Khrushchev Thaw. Universalism of Lakshin’s personality, which manifested itself in his creative activity, is pointed out. Information about the perception of the personality and works by contemporaries are introduced, discrepancies in their assessments are indicated, and, as far as possible, the reasons for these discrepancies are identified. The significance of his critical works is noted, which is recorded in the encyclopedic article. Special attention is paid to his works about life and works by A.N. Ostrovsky. The deep connection of the place of his birth, the profession of his parents with the future interest to the works of Ostrovsky as a theatrical figure is emphasized. It is noted that in articles and books Lakshin used previously unpublished information that he found in the archives. The author emphasizes that under the leadership of Lakshin, a 12-volume collection of playwright’s works was prepared and published, reviews of theatrical reviews are included in the comments. As a result, author of the article dwells on drama of life situation of Lakshin, who did not accept the ideologemes of perestroika and strives to preserve the foundations of the Russian mentality, typical for Ostrovsky’s plays.

The linguopragmatic aspect of the theatrical review in the British press

The purpose of the study is to investigate the linguopragmatic aspect of the theatrical review in the British press. The term “review” is often used for a comprehensive analysis of several types of writing, including a review of international news, a review of book novelties; reviews of various forms of art (theatrical, cinematic etc.) and science (popular science). Media coverage of the theater, particularly in the form of theatrical reviews, need particular language tools due to the specialized nature of its themes and aims. The consideration of linguistic means and their role in the creation of a multifunctional theatrical review appears to be relevant due to the fact that it touches on a wide variety of issues. Some of the issues include genre contamination, the interaction of media and advertising, cultural and aesthetic concerns, as well as general main trends in the stylistics of the language used in theatrical discourse. Within the framework of the investigation, theatrical reviews in the British press are analyzed from a linguistic perspective. Particular focus is placed on the linguistic characteristics of reviews, as well as the manners in which the critic's personality and the image of his audience are conveyed through the written word.

“Exotic Sensation” or “Völkisch Art”? Press Reviews of the Indisches Ballett Menaka (Menaka Indian Ballet) on Tour Through Germany, 1936–1938

The tour of the Indian Ballet Menaka through hundreds of German cities between 1936 and 1938 left a large footprint in the form of theatre reviews. This article focuses on the role of these performances in actualizing a specific knowledge about India that was, firstly, based on the assumption of the consanguinity of Indo-German peoples and, secondly, on a vision of history as a realization of the utopian ideal of cultural regeneration through art. This article thus hopes to articulate the ways in which the unique experience of this Indian theatre event served as an instrument for consolidating a völkisch/racialized perception of art in general, and of music in particular.

Mechanical meaning: The relationship between game mechanics and story in ergodic theatre

Theatre is increasingly exploring the potential of interactivity, especially as the growing experience economy reveals that people actively seek activities that offer new ways to engage with stories. The inclusion of interactive elements akin to game mechanics, which I call ergodic mechanics, shifts these performances into an intermedial sphere between digital games and conventional theatre. I use the term ergodic theatre to classify this specific subgenre of immersive theatre where the traveller works to form their path through the storyworld. Ergodic mechanics are the systems through which the traveller works or interacts. But what impact does the inclusion of ergodic mechanics have on storytelling? This question is critical to producing meaningful ergodic theatre performances and preventing interactive elements from becoming gimmicks, as some theatre reviewers have labelled them (Gardner, 2014). I interrogate the relationship between and impact of ergodic mechanics on the creation of story and meaning by examining narrative moments from The Under Presents, a VR ergodic theatre experience, and What Remains of Edith Finch and Dream, both digital ergodic theatre experiences. Analysing these case studies helps demonstrate the value of weaving ergodic mechanics with the story. When there is harmony between the interactive and story elements, the included ergodic mechanics heighten the traveller’s narrative engagement and emotional connection to the play’s characters or themes. I argue that ludonarrative harmony loops are a powerful tool that can enrich the traveller’s theatrical experience. I present an interdisciplinary approach by applying digital game theory parsed through dramaturgy to address the nuances of telling meaningful and engaging stories in ergodic theatre. Analysing the incorporation and dramaturgical function of interactivity highlights the potential of ergodic mechanics in intermedial ergodic performances. Furthermore, creating ludonarrative harmony is central to ergodic theatre’s continued success and growth as a storytelling medium.

From the Desk of the Editor: Introduction to the Black Theatre Review, Afrofuturism

From the Desk of the Editor: Introduction to the Black Theatre Review, Afrofuturism

Morphological Mutability of Modern Critical Genres: Theatre Review as a Parody

Morphological Mutability of Modern Critical Genres: Theatre Review as a Parody

Theater Review of "A Christmas with C.S. Lewis."

Theater Review of "A Christmas with C.S. Lewis."

Critical Disengagement: The Epistemic and White Supremacist Violence of Theatre Criticism in Canada and the USA

This article examines recent controversies sparked by the critical reception of work by Global Majority theatre artists in Canada and the USA, including Yolanda Bonnell, Yvette Nolan, and Antoinette Nwandu. It argues that, when faced with works that fall outside of their presumed expertise and experience, critics commonly resort to a strategy of critical disengagement, which displaces the focus from the work and refuses to evaluate it on its own terms. Through an analysis of case studies, we elucidate the concept of critical disengagement and its three distinct categories, ‘othering,’ ‘imposing’, and ‘self-staging’. These acts are representative of larger patterns in dominant theatre criticism practices, which are descended from neoclassical and Enlightenment formulations of criticism, and centre around the ideals of fair judgement and critical objectivity. When applied to the work of Global Majority theatre artists by a largely white critical establishment, they enact, consolidate, and reproduce what Gayatri Spivak calls epistemic violence. During this pivotal moment, as theatre communities in the Global North respond to calls for racial justice and decolonization, this article sheds light on the often overlooked role of criticism in sustaining white supremacy within theatre production and reception, and stresses the urgent need to re-imagine critical practices. Signy Lynch is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Toronto Mississauga and recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal (York University, 2022). She has published articles on theatre criticism and intercultural theatre in Contemporary Theatre Review, Canadian Theatre Review, and Theatre Research in Canada. Michelle MacArthur is associate professor at the University of Windsor’s School of Dramatic Art. She has published articles in Contemporary Theatre Review, Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Theatre Research in Canada, Canadian Theatre Review, and several edited volumes. She is the editor of Voices of a Generation: Three Millennial Plays (Playwrights Canada Press, 2022).

The Quality of the Relational—Challenges in a Triangulated Analysis of ‘Theatre-Musicking’ in German Contemporary Theatre

ABSTRACT Musicians and sound designers appear with increasing frequency on the cast lists of contemporary theatre productions. They develop music during the rehearsal process, making it an almost indispensable part of theatrical productions—in the form of songs or instrumental music, produced live on stage in the performative process as a theatrical action, or digitally pre-produced. As part of the staging concept, these musical outputs have a direct impact on the scenic realisation of a play. Contrasting the abundance and relevance of contemporary theatre music (especially in the German-speaking world), is its paucity in academic discourse. This paucity begets a lack of analytical tools to sensitively engage with this creative artistic practice. This article summarises the appeal of, and the challenges inherent in, the analysis and interpretation of current theatre music and proposes a rethinking of theatre music from its status as incidental music to a specific quality as relational music (Roesner [2019]. Theatermusik. Analysen und Gespräche. Berlin: Theater der Zeit), since theatre music as a contemporary artistic practice demands to be analysed in terms of its theatrical and performative impact on a theatre production. As a result of this characteristic scenic component of current theatre music I present a triangulated system of analysis, comprising performance analysis, ethnographic rehearsal analysis and practice as research against the backdrop of scholarly discourse on ‘music as performance’ (Cook [2014]. Beyond the Score: Music as Performance. Oxford / New York: Oxford University Press; Auslander [2004]. “Performance Analysis and Popular Music: A Manifesto.” Contemporary Theatre Review 14: 1–13; Small [1998]. Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening. Music, Culture. Hanover: Wesleyan University Press / University Press of New England).

Comprehension of Russian Culture (“Theater Review”)

The article analyzes the recently-published third part of Olga Zhukova’s trilogy devoted to Russian culture, Russian philosophy, and the philosophy of Russian culture. The article’s author suggests that this book, as well as previous parts of the trilogy, contains extensive, largely unknown material about the studied area. Besides the richness of the factual material, the advantage of the book is that it encourages a reader’s interest in the considered stories; at the same time, it provokes an internal polemic with Zhukova, produces the desire to reflect on the various statements made, and, probably, even enters the discussion with the author. The cornerstone of Zhukova’s concept is the thesis about the fundamental conditionality of Russian culture and Russian philosophy on Eastern Christianity. According to this concept, there is a direct conditionality in some cases, while an indirect conditionality appears through the dialectical contradiction in some others. The article’s author does not find this thesis to be ultimately correct. Another separate object of the article’s discussion is the reviewed book’s polygraphic features.