Theatrical Elements Research Articles

Extending the multiculturalism metaphors: state identity in Nasarawa State’s Su-dir dance theatre as fruit salad juice

The robust multiculturalism debate and its attendant metaphors have paid little attention to the peculiar realities of managing the inherent cultural diversity in Africa. This paper opens up the existing debate on multiculturalism, and offers an option of the Fruit Salad Juice as the identity produced through the active cultural interactions within a typical African multi-ethnic state. The Fruit Salad Juice alternative specifically applies to the theatrical performances that emanate from these multicultural collaborations. The paper examines Su-dir dance theatre being one of the products of the Let’s Sheathe Our Swords (LSOS) project launched by the Nasarawa State government of Nigeria to facilitate social therapy and cultural integration after a protracted period of inter-ethnic, religious and political crises in the state. Data for this study was collated through the participant observation and interview methods. At various points, I conducted interviews with the administrators, consultants, and artistes of the Nasarawa State Performing Troupe, as well as some members of the Su-Dir audience. Nasarawa state is conceptualized as a fruit salad bowl, and the LSOS theatrical pieces as juice produced thereof. The idea of Fruit Salad Juice is demonstrated in the evidence of inclusivity and state identity found in the compositional elements of the Su-dir dance theatre and other outcomes of the LSOS project.

Bringing the Ocean to the Stage: Performing Coastal Values and Marine Management

Recent years have witnessed a seemingly constant call for improved understanding of human–ocean relationships, resulting in a “boom” of marine social science research, sometimes framed through the lens of ocean literacy. Defined as having an understanding of your influence on the ocean, and its influence on you, ocean literacy has gained traction in recent years as a way of better understanding the complexities of human–ocean relationships. However, despite this interest in the human dimensions of the ocean, coasts and seas, and a corresponding increase in broader marine social sciences research, qualitative and arts‐based research approaches continue to remain on the periphery of ocean research. This article explores the role of two ocean research “outliers,” intersecting arts‐based practice and marine social sciences through the lens of interconnected performances designed to explore the diverse values held by communities about their marine and coastal environment. Undertaken as part of the Diverse Marine Values project, the performances brought together ocean scientists, coastal and marine managers, and community members to create original performance pieces in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, and Portsmouth, England. Drawing heavily on applied theatre practice and scholarship, these distinct but interrelated performances utilised elements of forum theatre, devised theatre, and storytelling to address marine issues important to each respective community, with a view to understanding and fostering ocean literacy. In each location, the performance work illustrated ways in which theatre can serve as not only a tool for science communication, but also a research method to explore a range of ocean literacy dimensions. The performances helped the research team, comprised jointly of specialist theatre practitioners and experts in ocean literacy, coastal management, and plastics pollution to reshape data collection and stakeholder engagement. This collaborative theatre‐making process led to deeper conversations and embedded engagement within each coastal community. It also led to a fundamental reshaping of the questions and approaches that the marine managers and scientists asked of the communities in question. The article presents a discussion of the challenges of bridging these related, but often distant, disciplines, and highlights the role of arts‐based research practice in broader ocean literacy research and discourse.

Relevance of Bharata Muni’s Natyashastra in Digital Era

This article examines the relevance of Bharata Muni’s Natyashastra in the digital era through qualitative methods such as textual analysis and interpretation. It investigates Natyashastra’s principles, theories, and concepts, assessing their applicability to modern digital communication, content creation, and effective presentation. Using primary sources like translated Nepali texts, previous research works, and secondary scholarly interpretations, the study highlights parallels between Natyashastra and contemporary digital practices. Natyashastra, a foundational text for performing arts, communication, and human behavior, provides comprehensive guidelines on philosophical, spiritual, emotional, and technical expression. It emphasizes the emotional essence (Rasa) and the art of expression (Abhinaya), which are crucial for digital communication. By exploring theatrical elements and holistic storytelling techniques, Natyashastra can inspire innovative digital content production and presentation, enhancing authenticity and engagement. This article underscores the enduring significance of Natyashastra, enriching modern communication and artistic practices, and fostering deeper connections with audiences in the digital landscape.

Образ и маска в живописи Франсиско Гойи — онтологические и аксиологические аспекты

It is widely recognized that F. Goya’s development of a picturesque manner is in the vein of his great predecessors — El Greco and D. Velázquez. However, with all the importance of the experimental novelty of this Spanish master’s technique, the uniqueness of his creativity should be sought elsewhere. Goya managed to decidedly push the established boundaries of the European art expanding its range with the themes and problems that had previously been rarely and poorly represented. Anticipating an existential and anthropological shift that was evident back in the last decades of the 19th century and being almost a century ahead of it, those themes, plots, and problems were aimed at exteriorizing the inner world of man on the scale that appears to have never existed before. Goya systematically examines the human psyche in extreme existential situations when the conscious and the subconscious intertwine in a whimsical way. The specific feature of this perspective is an interest not in the individual and individuality but in the collective consciousness and the collective unconsciousness, as C. Jung would later justify it. The master’s true goal is to break through to where the archetypal components of the psyche, thinking, and behaviour rest. In this sense, the images of the mentally disturbed and the imprisoned become semantically significant, the atmosphere of madhouses and prisons, the world of human imagination that engendered the sphere of the irrational. Goya seeks the truth about man scrutinizing him in extreme situations and critical states. The artist often approaches the visualization of all this through a theatrical element — through masks, role-playing, and games. He is interested in that harsh inversion where a person, put into inhuman, unbearable conditions, can no longer to remain rational and turns into a dreadful, meaningless human mask. The main characteristics of the artist’s approach are explored in comparison with thematically similar works by William Hogarth, Henry Fuseli, and Théodore Géricault.

APPLICATION OF LINGUO-THEATRICAL APPROACH IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES TO PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Background. Professional training of a teacher traditionally includes elements of theater pedagogy as a condition for mastering professional pedagogical skills; it has a special role to play in the preparation of a future foreign language teacher. The ability for language self-education develops in conditions of a deficit of an authentic linguistic and cultural environment, which can only partly be compensated by the visualization of educational material and the use of computer technologies. The authors reveal the didactic potential of linguo-theatrical technologies, which make it possible to imitate linguocultural markers and models of the country of the target language and, thereby, contribute to the development of a multicultural linguistic personality in a student at a pedagogical university. The purpose of the study is to analyze the specifics of using theatricalization, dramatization and staging techniques in foreign language classes at a pedagogical university. Materials and methods. The main research method is a comparative analysis of sources that present a multi-paradigm description of the introduction of linguistic and theatrical elements into the process of teaching a foreign language. Quantitative and qualitative indicators were identified through the use of verbal communication methods (questionnaires and oral communication). Results. The verifiability of the research results was confirmed by the introduction of a set of communicative and theatrical tasks developed by the authors into practice to ensure the implementation of a linguistic and theatrical approach to teaching students of the Department of Foreign Languages at the KSPU named after V.P. Astafyev (Krasnoyarsk). The technique of theatricalization (stage or role-playing embodiment of the features of foreign language discourse) has the greatest didactic potential; the technique of dramatization (situational personification of characters) can be used to a lesser extent - this is explained by the need to have background knowledge of an authentic communicative situation; staging (stage production with the use of theatrical props) is characterized by the complexity of its implementation and increased labor intensiveness, both on the part of the teacher and on the part of the students, which, nevertheless generates increased interest and contributes to a more solid formation of language and speech skills.

'Igal' Ritual Theatre: ‘High-Value Culture’ from DAKEN21 and Malaysia MADANI Perspectives

This paper explores the igal ritual theatre practised by the Bajau ethnic group in Sabah, Malaysia, that is performed to heal for the community's well-being and focuses on the concept of high-value culture, which goes hand in hand with the thrust of 'Malaysia MADANI' and National Cultural Policy 2021 (DAKEN21). The ethnographic method is applied through an 'inductive phenomenological character' approach involving descriptive research design exploration and case studies. The relationship of six igal ritual theatre elements and their meaning, high-value culture, and the concept of 'Malaysia Madani' is highlighted to demonstrate the community's well-being and ensure the quality of life.

Semiotic Analysis of language in David Henry Hwang's FOB

The current paper attempts to do a semiotic analysis of the play Fresh off the Boat abbreviated as FOB by prominent Asian-American playwright David Henry Hwang. FOB talks about the complex cultural identities and experiences of first-generation Asian immigrants and their American-born children. Adapting Ronal Barth’s semiotics as the theoretical framework, the study explores how Hwang employs various linguistic, visual, and performative signifiers to construct and deconstruct notions of "Asianness," assimilation, the difficulties of belonging, and cultural hybridity. The play revolves around a meet-up that is filled with downsizing fresh comers to America leaving the characters in limbo which is between either settling for the host culture or maintaining their previous culture, a battle between acceptance and resistance that is full of symbolic meanings. The analysis focuses on how the play's title, character names, dialogue, stage directions, and symbolic props function as semiotic signs that convey deeper sociocultural meanings. It analyzes how these theatrical elements either reinforce or subvert stereotypical representations of Asian Americans, highlighting the characters' struggles to navigate their bicultural identities.

DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS BY THE MEANS OF THEATRICALIZATION

The article investigates the problem of forming "soft skills" of the students of primary education institutions by means of theatricalization based on the Concept of the New Ukrainian School (NUS). The general characteristics of theatricalization are given and it is defined as an artistic activity related to the perception of works of theatrical art and reproduction in a playful form of acquired ideas, impressions, feelings, one of the most effective means of pedagogical influence on the development of a child's personality. The effectiveness of theatricalization as a means of forming soft skills in elementary school students based on their psychological and pedagogical characteristics (emotional sensitivity to the events taking place, differentiation of emotional experiences and cognitive schemes for recognizing emotions; sensory coloring of perception, imagination, mental and physical activity; immediacy) and frankness in the expression of one's emotional experiences; formation of speech skills, verbal expression of emotions, active development of the vocabulary of emotions, etc.). A systematized toolkit of means of theatricalization in terms of the development of soft skills of primary school students was tested in practice. The main stages of theatricalization, as well as the development of soft skills in elementary school students by means of theatricalization are proposed, with the basic forms of their implementation in the practice of school education (preparatory and active implementation) being highlighted. A description of effective forms of theatrical art that ensure the development of soft skills is presented, including: collective viewings of plays, theatrical games, dramatization games, staging games, games on the themes of literary works, roleplaying games, director's games, production of plays, creation of mini-theaters, etc. Examples of the use of exercises with theatrical elements for the formation of "soft skills" in elementary school students are given. They include: "All About Me", "The Moment of Glory", "Butterflies", "Gloves", "New Year's Boots of St. Nicholas", "A picture of fear" and others. A conclusion was made about the perspective of using theatrical means for the development of soft skills in the "Child" program in the sections: "Child's personality", "Child's speech", "Child in society", "Child's play", "Child in sensory cognitive space" in the course "I explore the world" of elementary school.

‘High-Value Culture’ of Igal: Mirroring ‘DAKEN21’ Promoting ‘Malaysia MADANI’

This paper explores the igal ritual theatre practised by the Bajau ethnic group in Sabah, Malaysia, that is performed to heal for the community's well-being. This study focuses on the concept of high-value culture, which goes hand in hand with the thrust of 'Malaysia Madani' and National Cultural Policy 2021 (DAKEN21). The ethnographic method is applied through an 'inductive phenomenological character' approach involving descriptive research design exploration and case studies. The connection of igal ritual theatre elements and its meaning, high-value culture, and the concept of ‘Malaysia Madani’ will be highlighted to demonstrate the community's well-being and quality of life.

EXAMINE THE VIEWPOINTS OF B.ED. TEACHERS REGARDING THEATER-BASED TEACHING (TBT)

Learning is ideally a natural process for students, focusing on active involvement and practical application. Emotional involvement plays a vital role in comprehending concepts deeply and retaining them over time. Theater, acknowledged worldwide for its effectiveness in fostering such engagement, has been extensively researched in this regard. This study investigates teachers' perspectives on Theater-Based Teaching (TBT), an educational approach that incorporates theatrical elements. The research seeks to reveal teachers' opinions, convictions, and encounters with TBT.Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the perceptions of Trainee teacher’s regarding Theater-Based Teaching (TBT).Method: This quantitative study endeavored to investigate the benefits associated with integrating Theater-Based Teaching (TBT) activities into the teaching-learning process. A questionnaire utilizing the Likert Five-point rating scale was developed and administered to 54 participating educators.Result: This study demonstrates that TBT activities contribute to the development of life skills, enrich learning experiences, and broaden knowledge children. The findings suggest that integrating TBT activities into education can support children's holistic development.

The use of theatrical elements, books and creativity with preschool children with special needs to solve psychological and pedagogical problems of developing understanding and starting speech

The use of theatrical elements, books and creativity with preschool children with special needs to solve psychological and pedagogical problems of developing understanding and starting speech

포스트휴먼 존재로서 어린이의 발현적 연극놀이 탐색

The purpose of this study is to examine through expressive theatrical play that children are rich posthuman beings. This study utilized participatory observation and a posthumanist approach, drawing on van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological analysis method. The study was conducted at Y Kindergarten in Busan, focusing on one class of four-year-old children, from early October 2022 to the end of January 2023, with observations conducted four to five days a week, approximately from 9:00 to 13:00, totaling 70 sessions. The research findings and their significance can be summarized as follows. First, as posthuman beings, young children initiate dramatic play from the arrangement of materials, and in their dramatic play, various theatrical elements such as stories, props, characters, and backgrounds are enacted and manifested. Second, as posthuman beings, young children experience heightened dramatic experiences within their dramatic play, and their unique characteristics are expressed.Third, as posthuman beings, young children establish relationships with materials within their environment. This study is significant in that it views infants as posthuman beings and examines the emergent nature of infant existence revealed in expressive theatrical play. In the future, it is hoped that children will be recognized as posthumans in early childhood education and that expressive theatrical play will be actively carried out.

Bilinmeyen Karakterler ve Yitik Bütünlük: Martin Crimp’ın Whole Blue Sky Oyunundaki Postdramatic Yansımalar

This study aims to reveal the postdramatic theatricalities in Martin Crimp's Whole Blue Sky (2005). Martin Crimp has been one of the most prolific, controversial and satirical playwrights since his plays were first staged in British theatres in the late 1980s. While his early plays evoke the absurdist tradition, his later plays emphasize innovative theatrical elements labelled in-yer-face, postdramatic and New Writing. Considering Crimp's wideranging body of work, his distinctive theatrical style is clearly recognizable. Although postdramatic theater is usually associated with theater movements that emerged after the 1990s, it dates back to the theater of Bertold Brecht. For this reason, postdramatic debates are briefly discussed in the Introduction. Whole Blue Sky (2005), which is the field of application of this study, is a short play in the collection of Fewer Emergencies (2005) and Face to the Wall (2005). Moreover, the text in question is completely anonymous and consists of three characters numbered 1, 2 and 3. It is known that character 1 is the only female character in the text. In addition, it is seen that the plot and other traditional principles of theatre evaporate in the play. This study presents an evaluation of Crimp's Whole Blue Sky (2005) in terms of postdramatic theatrical features.

The Communication Strategy of Cultural Programs in the Era of All Media: Taking "China in Classics" as an Example

In early 2021, the program "China in Classics" was launched and attracted widespread attention from both the television and online platforms. The program "China in Classics" has taken the lead from similar programs with a new theme content, exploring a new model of cultural programs. It combines cultural elements, theatrical elements, and variety show elements centered around classics, and with its ritualistic symbolic expression, dramatic plot, and expert interviews, forms its own unique program style. The success of this program provides new ideas for the creation of cultural programs of the same type. This article selects the TV program "China in Classics" as the research object, analyzes the dissemination strategies and current situation of TV cultural programs in the era of all media, and proposes reasonable suggestions and measures for the innovative development of TV cultural programs in the future.

Танцевальное искусство в художественном проектировании титров иранского кино

Iranian dance is distinguished by a number of specific features, one of which is the graceful movements of the hands, wrists, and legs, combined with lively facial expressions and body positions. The refined, intricate, and flirtatious gestures and symbols of Persian courtiers, solo, improvisational dances, and the spiritual dance of Sufis reflect the richness of Persian culture. After the 1979 revolution, in accordance with the new revolutionary realities, dance in Iran came under restrictions. However, dance art as a pillar of Persian culture remains an important social phenomenon for the nation, transforming and flowing into other types of art. Using the titles of Iranian films created after the 1979 revolution as examples, this paper traces the designers’ appeal to the dance heritage of Iran and reveals the similarity of the design of film credits with the basic elements of choreography, in particular, ballet, theater, and folk dance. The title is considered as a product of complex design (sound design, kinetic typography, animated graphics), whose fundamental elements (composition, color, visual forms of communication) are similar to the basis of choreographic / ballet art (dance movements, costumes, background). When designing film credits, Iranian designers use references to dance movements (circular, spiral, improvisational), movements of hands, legs (arabesque, petit allegro, folk dances of Khorasani, Bakhtiari, Keshmeh kermanji), fingers, hips, neck, and shoulders (urban dance of jakheli). It is revealed that such borrowings simplify for Iranian designers the task of preparing the viewer for the perception of a movie

Good ideas for teaching: Design and implementation of the communication workshop "me as team member" for third-year medical students.

Effective communication within a medical team is crucial not only because it results in higher job satisfaction and better joint decision-making among team members, but also because, ultimately, it makes for high-quality, patient-centered care. Since the transition to the clinical phase of study poses a challenge for many medical students, the University of Lübeck introduced "Ich im Team" (me as team member), a German-language communication workshop for third-year medical students, in the 2020/21 winter semester. The workshop forms a basis for future collaboration and is meant to strengthen the interpersonal skills needed for working in teams, communicating with patients, and supporting a no-blame culture. This workshop, which incorporates elements of improvisational theater and coaching, was offered for the first time in 2020/21. Due to the positive evaluations, it has been a required component of the curriculum since the 2021/22 winter semester. The students have accepted the workshop very well, which is reflected in the excellent evaluations of it. Furthermore, a research study carried out during the first two times the workshop was conducted showed, among other things, directly positive effects on the ability to work in interprofessional teams and handle mistakes. The workshop offers students a solid point of entry into the clinical setting and an awareness of their own role on a given team. Covering the content in more depth and the possible inclusion of other study programs are being discussed.

Monster and Khôra: Re-Imagining the Performing Body with Plato

This article offers a deconstructive reading of two imaginary constructs in Plato’s work. The first is the allegory of the psychè presented in Book IX of the Republic, and the second is the khôra discussed in Timaeus. Both discourses conceal an idea of corporality that the art of acting – that is, bodies in the performing arts – has traditionally manifested. The absence of the imaginary function and its replacement by the plastic paradigm of “moulding” or “shaping” require bodily mediation and lead to the idea of a plastic logos, where the two aspects of logos – language and reason – can unify. This conclusion is noteworthy when considering the theatrical elements of the Platonic dialogues in contrast to their simultaneous and apparently anti-theatrical arguments. It also aids contemporary performance practice in liberating itself from psychological and anthropomorphic interpretations of imagination.

"Deus ex machina" or moving sculptures in the interior of Lutheran churches of Latvia

The term “Deus ex machina” was used in ancient Greek and Roman theatre performances as stage machinery provided the appearance of a god or hero to unravel and resolve a hopeless situation. The present article characterizes the appearance, function, and use of moving sculptures - automatons - in Latvian Baroque church interiors. Renaissance science sparked developments in mathematics, astronomy, and mechanics that stimulated not only the invention of curiosities, but also the construction of practical mechanisms and tools. Knowledge transfer from mechanics to applied and fine arts brought moments of mystery and wonder into the fields of performing arts and the spheres of representation and liturgy. The use of automatons helped to invent new mechanisms, making the mechanical movement of “animated sculptures” an attractive public entertainment. Both written evidence and artefacts preserved in museums and churches bear witness to the social demand for the integration of theatrical elements into the formerly conservative environment, for example, the church. Drawing inspiration from the culturally linked region of former Prussia, the current paper concentrates on moving figures in the interior space of Lutheran churches in Latvia to expose the variety of fascinating objects, including organ facades and baptismal fonts.

Sfinga vortit barbare. Over Twenty-fiveYears of Student Theatre in Poznań

Students’ Classical Theatre Sfinga debuted with comedy Miles Gloriosus in 1997. Over the years they staged various plays of Plautus in order to prove themselves and their audience that certain themes and Plautine humour were not only still alive but also deeply emerged into the temporary culture. The main purpose of Sfinga has always been to familiarize their audience with Plautus and pay special attention to the care of ancient taste. The article discusses the following plays by Plautus: Miles Gloriosus, Amphitruo, Asinaria, Casina and Curculio. The authors present how, thanks to the available theatrical elements (costumes, music or scenography), Sfinga managed to make some performances take on new, fresh meanings, and others turned into musicals, burlesque or operetta.

Musical and Theatrical Creativity in the Logos of Music History

The purpose of the article is to analyse the productions of the 21st century musical and theatrical works of the 19th – 20th centuries in the aspect of postmodernism and baroque. The methodology of the work includes scientific methods (source studies, historical, generalising) and methods of comparative analysis to reveal the specifics of postmodern performances. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that sources in foreign languages have been introduced into scientific circulation, and an analysis of musical and theatrical works has been carried out. Conclusions. It is noted that at all times the opera remains a musical-dramatic performance with a synthesis of arts that affect human feelings and immerse in audiovisual art. Postmodern music and theatre creativity, as well as baroque art, are aimed at evoking affects (states of mind) through various influences. In postmodernism, this is already the systemic influence of singing, dancing, modern technologies with the immersion of the audience in the action and plot complications, which also contribute to the transmission of various affective states. In the Baroque era, the composer was not considered an original genius, and their creativity and works were not untouched. The performer was allowed to interpret the written text. Postmodern period plays are characterised by: changing the libretto (E. Humperdinck’s "Hansel and Gretel" ("Jeníček a Mařenka", 1890, 2015); A. Dvořák’s "The Devil and Káča" ("Čert a Káča", 1899, 2016); "A soldier and a dancer". According to the functional sphere and the city of performance, parts of the work could be omitted or replaced. Actually, what we observe today, in the art of postmodernism is a reinterpretation of the heroes and their functions (Hansel and Gretel are not just poor children, but circus students, where the father is a director). Features of domestic comedy, fairy tale – in baroque opera were complemented by masks and tragic events. In post-modern performances, masks are replaced by puppets, for example, in the operas of B. Martin "The Soldier and the Dancer", E. Humperdinck "Hansel and Gretel", A. Dvořák "The Devil and the Duck". A parallel with the French baroque opera-ballet in the works of postmodernism is the strengthening of the role of dance in opera performances ("The Devil and Kacha", ballet with singing by B. Martin "Spalicek"). Plots with real and fairy-tale-fantasy characters, which are similar to the "myth" ("Hansel and Gretel", "The Devil and the Duck"). The external spectacularity and scale in Baroque works resonate with the specific stage design: inn, hell, palace ("Devil and Kacha"); animation of the middle of the 20th century – Disney pictures ("Hansel and Gretel"); the image of the Soldier – the world of dreams – childhood with dolls – a machine with dolls ("The Soldier and the Dancer").
 Keywords: postmodernism, logos of music history, baroque, baroque opera, opera, ballet, opera-ballet, music and theatre art, elements of puppet theatre, stage design, libretto.