Theatrical Production Research Articles

Implicit cultural policies in Zimbabwe: insights from Stephen Joel Chifunyise’s plays and theatre

Sometimes cultural policies are dismissed and criticized by some artists and cultural practitioners as banal and other times they are deemed pivotal in the democratization of culture, cultural democracy and the advancement of a democratic society. This ambivalent perception of arts and cultural policies results in many missed opportunities in the production and distribution of cultural and creative expressions like plays and theatre. This paper sets out to answer the question about how cultural policies shape the advancement of cultural and creative expressions in post-independence Zimbabwe. Stephen Joel Chifunyise’s plays and theatre as case examples provide insightful snippets of the role and power of cultural policies in the advancement of the cultural and creative sector and the broader society. This is achieved through a review of academic publications, policy documents and cultural policy texts. The theoretical lens partially deployed here is interpretive policy analysis, which reads the meaning of cultural policies through authored and constructed policy texts such as plays, theatre productions, theatre infrastructure, theatre festivals, publishing houses, book fairs, policy documents and public pronouncements. In addition to the interpretive policy analysis, I also deploy the concept of explicit and implicit cultural policies to comprehensively look at the role of direct cultural policies and indirect cultural policies in the theatre sector in Zimbabwe. The second lens is used to analyse the impact of Zimbabwean implicit and explicit cultural policies on the theatre sector through Chifunyise’s plays and theatre. In critically answering the central question, this paper argues that Zimbabwe has several implicit cultural policies whose effect on the theatre is felt more through constructed cultural policy texts than authored cultural policy texts, and thus, all cultural expressions are inevitably shaped by one cultural policy or the other.

Staging anxiety through magical realism: A practice-based exploration in two theatrical productions

Anxiety disorders are prevalent in everyday life, yet theatrical realism often struggles to capture and convey the lived experiences from the points of view of those affected. This practice-based research explores how magical realism can serve as an alternative mode of representation to depict the internal experiences of characters with anxiety disorders on stage. The study began with a literature review on magical realism and anxiety disorders, identifying key characteristics that informed the development of performances. Through a devising process, the research culminated in two distinct productions: “The Practice,” a devised piece created with a group of seven actors and showcased at the Bangkok Theatre Festival in November 2022, and “As Fa As Farida,” a solo performance developed collaboratively by the researcher-director and an actor, staged in May and June 2023 at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University. Despite differences in scale and presentation, both performances were able to portray the inner worlds of characters with anxiety disorders through the essence of magical realism, characterized by four main themes identified through thematic analysis: the interplay of reality and fantasy, the disruption of space and time, metatheatrical reflections on society and identity, and voices from the margins. The insights from this study can guide future theatrical experiments and be applied across various media, including literature, film, and other art forms.

Constituencies of Care: Imagining Possibilities of Access in US Theatre Pedagogy and Production

Abstract: Conversations about accessibility and representation in US theatre have increased over the past decade, but few articles address how these topics might be incorporated into our classrooms and educational rehearsal spaces. Using as a case study the rehearsal and production processes devised for the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio , this Note considers how access initiatives implemented in the nonprofit and professional theatre spheres might be adapted and included in US theatre pedagogical practices for introducing students to comprehensive and holistic approaches to disability inclusion and accordant access initiatives.

Theatre Work: Reimagining the Labor of Theatrical Production by Brídín Clements Cotton and Natalie Robin (review)

Theatre Work: Reimagining the Labor of Theatrical Production by Brídín Clements Cotton and Natalie Robin (review)

VASYL STUS IN THE THEATER: FROM THE HISTORY OF THE ISSUE (1980s — 1990s)

The theatrical interpretation of the life and work of Vasyl Stus began in the late 1980s. Dozens of productions across various genres appeared during the period of accumulating and systematizing biographical and artistic material, as well as reinterpreting the figure of Stus. Interest in his personality is evidenced by the performances of both experienced directors and beginners. One of the key tasks of Stus studies is to trace the history of the theatrical experiences that bring Vasyl Stus’s creative life into focus. To model the perception and artistic interpretation of Stus’s personality, it is important to identify various forms of professional performances centered on Vasyl Stus’s life or based on his works, while considering the chronological order of their appearance. These forms include poetic compositions, dramatic compositions, plays, etc. The paper starts a project focusing on the outlined issues and highlights the theatrical productions from the late 1980s and the 1990s. Decades of theatrical exploration of Vasyl Stus’s creative personality represent not only a time of popularizing his works and integrating the poet’s name into the cultural sphere but also a period of directors’ and actors’ search for the potential — both poetic and existential — within Stus’s texts. The strength and significance of the poet’s legacy were proved by the following performances: the poetic composition “Vasyl Stus” (1988) by Volodymyr Kuchynskyi, the dramatic composition “The Bird of Soul” (1989) by Vitalii Sementsov, the musical and dramatic composition “Return” (1989) by Myroslav Hrynyshyn, the monologue “Go through a Hundred Scaffolds, a Man, Having Sight in a Heart” (1992) by Marharyta and Kyrylo Bulkins, the monologue “Damned Years” (1992—1993) by Volodymyr Smotrytel, the play on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of V. Stus’s birth (1998) by Dmytro Stus and Serhii Proskurnia.

Artistic Negotiation of Emma and Lucy Annual Drama The Musical Jekyll & Hyde: A Performance Quadrilogue View

The main focus is on the artistic aspects of the two female characters, Emma Carew and Lucy Harris in the production of “The Musical Jekyll & Hyde” by the Annual Drama team of Faculty of Language and Arts, Satya Wacana Christian University Salatiga, in 2023. The study focused on the process and artistic decision making within the context of management, musicology, dramaturgy, and literary studies. The study highlights how Emma and Lucy, are constructed in feminism artistic analysis in contemporary drama. The characters represented female with their domestic and private roles. Observation, interviews, documentation, and library studies were conducted to gather the data. Using performance centered approach, the study thoroughly observed the artistic decision process of the three actors of performance quadrilogue, namely the source, producer, and performer. As a college theater, all the artistic decision was made by the students. The four artistic elements of theater production, comprising the verbal text, song, movement, and scenary, portrayed the story’s setting in the 1800s in England. Emma’s verbal text depicted the English women of the elite with their domestic orientation. On the contrary, Lucy portrayed liberal English women. The four artistic elements in a theater production, referred to Broadway theater of the same title. This study positioned artistic elements as its study object instead of drama as a media of English learning. These two domains are discussed to sharpen on the construction of the female figure in the artistic perspective of feminist analysis. Post-production studies are also conducted to examine how students gain experience of an artistic decision-making process in producing a performance. It was conducted through the management’s delegating mechanism in the chart of the structured organization.

Redefining Theatricality: How the Fourth Wall Shapes Audience Interaction in Gaming Theater

This paper examines the role of the fourth wall in gaming theater and its impact on audience interaction. Traditionally, the fourth wall serves as an invisible boundary separating performers from spectators, dividing the fictional world from the audience. In gaming theater, this boundary is often broken, granting audiences a more active role in shaping the narrative and interacting with performers. Employing an analytical approach and case studies, this research investigates the effects of manipulating the fourth wall on the theatrical experience and audience participation. Two gaming theater productions are examined: In "Reflections of the Dream Realm," the fourth wall is completely dismantled, allowing audiences to participate through sensory engagement and voting. In "Harmony of Whispers," the fourth wall is partially maintained, yet audiences remain collaboratively involved in the storytelling process. Findings indicate that removing the separation between the stage and the audience can fundamentally alter the theatrical experience, transforming audiences from passive observers into active co-creators, particularly within the gaming theater genre, where interactive elements and innovative technologies like voting and augmented reality are employed.

Retelling: a New Genre or an Insufficiently Investigated “Old” Notion?

The article focuses on the phenomenon known as “retelling”. The mass reader, both domestic and foreign, perceives retelling as one of the neterature genres. The word “retelling” is borrowed from the English language. According to the English-language publications concerning retelling, in modern mass consciousness this concept corresponds, on the one hand, to the methods of borrowing and processing plots, known in European culture since antiquity, on the other, to a system of primary and secondary features, reproduced in mass literature texts. However, neither American nor British literary criticism knows such a genre. Foreign literary critics use the term “adaptation”, which implies one type of the text transformation: from a literary work to a theatrical production or film. Russian researchers apply the term “adaptation” to the alterations of classical literature for theatre, cinema, television and computer games. Although in the English language culture retelling is perceived as a new, recently emerged phenomenon, the first authorʼs adaptations of classical works appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. The collection of stories “Tales from Shakespeare”, written by Charles and Mary Lamb can be considered the first example of a “retelling” adaptation. The “Preface” to the stories contains the principles, formulated by the authors. According to the given principles they reworked Shakespeareʼs plays for childrenʼs reading. These principles fall under both the concept of “retelling” and the concept of “adaptation”. The research shows that though “retelling” is perceived as one of the characteristic features of modern culture, this phenomenon existed as a conscious way of creative working with text for at least two centuries. This phenomenon is not a genre, but a set of techniques for transforming a text, a still insufficiently studied universal of literary creativity.

A.N. Ostrovsky’s Dramaturgy in Slovakia

The article examines the history of the acquaintance of Slovak literary culture and theater with the dramatic heritage of the great Russian playwright A.N. Ostrovsky. It tells in detail about the first translations of his plays into Slovak and the first experiences of productions on the professional stage (all of them are associated with the name of director J. Borodach), about the difficulties of translating some of the titles of the plays, and also traces the evolution of the perception of Ostrovsky’s work in Slovakia over the past century. The periods of greatest popularity of his plays are highlighted (1950s, 1970–80s), and an overview of the most significant Slovak theatrical productions based on his works is given. Special attention is paid to several outstanding productions of the drama «The Forest», which appeared on the Slovak theater stages in different historical periods and largely influenced the perception of this Russian author by the Slovak audience: performances of the theater «Divadlo na Korze» (1971, directed by V. Strnisko), Theater SNP in Martin (1982, directed by L. Vaydichka), theater «Astorka Korzo ’90» (1997, directed by R. Polak), Slovak Chamber Theater in Martin (2014, directed by L. Brutovsky, M. Daho), Theater J. Palarika in Trnava (2020, directed by V. Strnisko).

The impact of spinal versus general anesthesia on the variability of surgical times: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

With spinal anesthesia, when cases are taking longer than usual, there may be behavioural tendencies for surgical teams to work more quickly. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to examine standard deviations of surgical times for single-dose spinal anesthetics versus general anesthesia. We compared ratios of mean surgical times as a secondary endpoint. We included randomized trials of humans where general or spinal anesthesia was used for one category of surgical procedure (e.g., hip arthroplasty) and the article reported the means and standard deviations of operative durations. We used statistical methods suitable for surgical times following log-normal distributions. We used generalized confidence intervals to calculate point estimates of ratios and standard errors for each study, followed by pooling among studies using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects meta-analysis with Knapp-Hartung adjustment. Among the 77 included studies, 96% were of high quality for our endpoint (i.e., had a low risk of bias), as no (0%) study focused on comparing variability of surgical times and none had surgical time as the primary endpoint. Spinal anesthesia was associated with 6.6% smaller standard deviations than general anesthesia (95% confidence interval, 15.8% smaller to 1.9% larger, P = 0.13). By meta-regression, there was no significant association of the ratios of standard deviations with study quality (P = 0.39), year of publication (P = 0.76), or categories of procedures (all five P ≥ 0.28). Spinal anesthesia was associated with 1.1% smaller means than general anesthesia (95% confidence interval, 3.7% smaller to 1.5% larger, P = 0.42). There were no significant associations between the ratios of means and study quality (P = 0.47), year of publication (P = 0.95), or categories of procedures (all five, P ≥ 0.63). The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis show with high confidence that the effect of choosing spinal anesthesia on variability in surgical time, if present, is sufficiently small to have no substantive direct economic effect. The same conclusion applies to mean surgical time. Therefore, although anesthetic choice has a clinical (biological) impact and affects anesthesia times, the direct effects on surgical times and workflow are minimal at most. Anesthetic choice does not influence operating theatre productivity via changes to surgical times. The impact of spinal anesthetic effects is limited to nonoperative times (e.g., reducing anesthesia-controlled times by using a block room before the patient enters the operating room). PROSPERO ( CRD42023461952 ); first submitted 8 September 2023.

Le tragedie di Pierre Brumoy: fra teatro di scuola e ripresa della tragédie sainte

The most important text by the French Jesuit Pierre Brumoy, is undoubtedly the Théâtre des Grecs of 1730, which has had a profound influence on the reading of classical theatre texts in Europe. Less known is his theatrical production, to which the author chooses to dedicate himself in the final phase of his life and which, in part, wants to be an explanation of the theories illustrated in the Théâtre des Grecs. Brumoy publishes five plays (two tragedies: Isac and Jonathas, ou Le triomphe de l’Amitié; a pastoral: Le Couronnement du jeune David and two comedies: La boëte de Pandore, ou La curiosité punie and Plutus) in the fourth volume of a miscellany of texts entitled Recueil de divers ouvrages en prose et en vers, published in 1741. The focus of this work is on religious plays that can be used to explore an interesting and unstudied aspect of Brumoy’s figure.

Marketing a (high school) musical on TikTok

This article explores the intersections between TikTok, musical theatre and youth cultures. Since its international debut in 2017, TikTok has become closely associated with teenagers and twenty-somethings who use the social media platform as a critical site to create, present and experience identities and generational culture at large. Musical theatre has been central to this cultural work. Teenage theatre makers, for example, use TikTok as a marketing tool that can be replicated by professional theatre companies and productions. I present an autoethnographic account of my work with high school students to market an all-school production of the musical Grease and use the experience to question the ways emerging digital platforms such as TikTok inform new, accessible ways of collaborating, experiencing, appreciating, conceptualizing and documenting musical theatre.

Translating and performing China for the English-speaking stage: Royal Shakespeare Company’s re-staging of The Injustice to Dou E

Contemporary China is increasingly open in its interaction with the global cultural community, generating one of the most prestigious projects—the Royal Shakespeare Company’s “Chinese Classics Translation Projects” (2015–2023). This article examines this project’s first production Snow in Midsummer, a performance based on a new translation of the Chinese classic Dou E Yuan (窦娥冤, The Injustice to Dou E That Moved Heaven and Earth). Through exploring the multiple agents involved in the RSC’s re-staging of the play, this article traces the processes of translation and performance characterised by an oft-hidden collaborative agency. It uncovers the collaborative agency at work and argues that the agency in this theatre production aims to set the conditions to make the original Chinese classic new, so as to enable its rejuvenation and transformation. Key finding of this article is that the collaborative agency of the translator, playwright, director, stage designer, and actors/actresses in re-staging has enlivened the 13th-century Chinese classic with enriched narratives and produced a performance that is nuanced and relevant to the contemporary world. This article makes a case for the paradigmatic shift from a product-based approach to theatre translation to a process-based one. It opens new avenues to future research into the question of complexity of collaborative agency in restaging the foreign classic to the contemporary English-speaking audiences for both areas of theatre translation for performance and transnational theatre production.

The Importance of Box Office in Theatre Production

The paper focuses on the discussion and revelation of the importance of the box office in a theatre production. In the theatre, the box office or ticket office, as it is called in most cases, is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event or performance. The box office exists in all theatres and is very functional, especially if the theatre is determined to make a profit and stay functional. The box office does not serve as the point of ticket sales alone; it is the theatre’s accounting department and also a reference point in the calculation of the number of persons that attended a particular theatre production. In a theatre production, the box office holds great economic importance; it is the point of economic transaction in the production. It serves the role of record and bookkeeping of the number of persons that attended/attended a theatre production. This is why the study concludes by saying that no matter how the theatre structure may be, the box office cannot be pushed aside on the production day, as it is a major factor in the arms of theatre.

Peculiarities of copyright in a theatrical production

The article examines the features of a theatrical production as a work of theatrical artthat is created on the basis of a dramaturgical work (literary, musical, choreographic, orother), has a single idea and a specific title.Ukrainian legislation does not define the composition of the authors of a theatrical production.The study proves that the authors of a theatrical production may include the authorof a dramatic work specially created for a particular theatrical production, directorsand the author of a musical work with or without lyrics specially created for a particulartheatrical production. Given the unequal nature of creative contributions to a theatricalproduction, the belonging of creative contributions to different types of art, a theatricalproduction is a complex work that is characterized by a synthesis of arts. The authors of atheatrical production enter into a co-authorship that is characterized not by the unity ofthe creative process, but by the unity of the result in the form of one coherent work. Despitethe fact that the content of each author’s creativity is different and may belong to differentareas of art, in the end, all these elements are combined in one work.The primary subjects of copyright in a theatrical production are its authors. At thesame time, a theatrical production is often a work for hire created by an employee underan employment contract. Under Ukrainian law, copyright in a work for hire is transferredto the employer from the moment the work is created, unless otherwise provided by contractor law. However, if the producer orders the creation of a theatrical production, copyrightin it shall be transferred to the producer. Thus, the right holder of a theatrical productionmay be determined in different ways.The main way of using a theatrical production is its public performance as presentingit to the public directly through the performance of roles (parts) and other presentation ofartistic images. A public performance is not a form of expression of a theatrical productionthat arises as a result of the creativity of its authors before its public performance, and itsexistence does not cease after the performance is over.The current legislation of Ukraine reflects the specifics of a theatrical production as anobject of copyright only partially, and therefore needs to be improved.

The Importance of Surgical Cutting Time as a Key Performance Indicator Alongside Touchtime Utilisation in Operating Theatre Efficiency Optimisation.

Aims The Getting It Right First Time(GIRFT) programme has set targets to achieve 85% touchtime utilisation by 2024/25. Touchtime utilisation is a measure of theatre productivity, defined as the time from the start of anaesthesia to the time a patient leaves the theatre for all cases on a defined theatre list as a percentage of total available theatre time. No published evidence examines touchtime utilisation as a measure of theatre efficiency and its correlation with surgical cutting time. This study aims to determine if there is a statistical relationship between touchtime utilisation and surgical cutting time, and whether the use of touchtime utilisation is sufficient to inform about surgical productivity. Methods A retrospective analysis of two orthopaedic theatres spanning 100 days at both a major trauma centre and an elective hospital in London was performed. Electronicrecords identifiedanaesthetic start time, knife-to-skin time, end-of-procedure time, and patient-leaving-theatre time. Time intervals were calculated and the relationship between touchtime utilisation and surgical cutting time was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). Results The mean total touchtime was 403 minutes (SD, 84 minutes) at the major trauma centre and 383 minutes (SD, 103 minutes) at the elective hospital. The mean total surgical cutting time was 259 minutes(SD, 72 minutes) at the major trauma centre and 233 minutes (SD, 75 minutes) at the elective hospital, from a total available time of 510 minutes per list. There was a significant correlation between touchtime and surgical cutting time at both hospitals (elective hospital: r (198) = 0.815, p < 0.001; major trauma centre: r (198) = 0.892, p < 0.001). The mean touchtime utilisation was 79.31% for the major trauma centre and 75.20% for the elective hospital; however, the mean total surgical cutting time was 51% and 46%, respectively, of total available time. Conclusion Despite a good correlation between touchtime and surgical cutting time, the range between these measures suggests that using touchtime utilisation alone to measure theatre efficiency may not sufficiently inform about efficient practices. We suggest complementing touchtime utilisation data with surgical cutting time may provide more information to contextualise efficiencies or inefficiencies in an operating theatre.

Between Representation and Reality: Zhao Chuan’s World Factory as Social Theatre

ABSTRACT Zhao Chuan’s play World Factory continuously introduces reality into the theatre by resorting to the creative techniques of documentary theatre, epic theatre, and theatre of the oppressed in left-wing theatre, thus constituting a blurred boundary between the reality and the representation, and also forming a mode of discussion of social issues in theatre. The tension between reality and representation allows Zhao Chuan’s theatrical production to be understood not only as aesthetic theatre but also as social theatre. With the help of sociological methods, Zhao Chuan’s social theatre creates a “theatrical public sphere,” and the reality of this sphere constitutes a Habermasian place of prudent and equal public opinion. At the same time, the representation of the theatrical public sphere creates the emotional space of physical presence. It imaginatively constructs another reality, and its representation quality can avoid the direct criticism of the reality, which makes the relatively free public sphere speech possible.

WP2.6 - Improving theatre utilisation and reducing waiting list times – could ‘standby’ patients be the answer?

Abstract Aims With the NHS waiting list at a record high of over 7.3 million patients, it has never been more important to maximise theatre productivity. We piloted a ‘standby patient’ initiative for patients awaiting elective day-case procedures, with the aim of optimising theatre utilisation, reducing waiting lists, improving hospital revenue and ultimately patient care. Methods The principle of a ‘standby’ patient is to reduce the rate of ‘on the day’ cancellation and utilise theatre time. Suitable patients were offered the opportunity to be on ‘standby’ for selected day case lists. If list capacity allowed, the patient was called in. If postponed, they were offered a dedicated date. A patient questionnaire was also conducted to gain an understanding of the ‘standby’ patient experience. Results Between May and November 2023, 12 ‘standby' patients were identified, average waiting list time of 44 weeks. Cases included hernia repairs and laparoscopic cholecystectomies. 6/12 were operated on their standby slot, 1 patient cancelled, and 5/12 were postponed but had surgery within an average of 6 weeks. This earnt the trust approximately £15240 in additional tariff. 10/12 patients responded to the patient questionnaire with all reporting either good or excellent experience of the initiative. Positive comments included ‘good communication’ and ‘excellent standard of care’. Conclusion The standby patient initiative is well received by patients, and provides a cost-effective solution to optimise theatre utilisation, reduce waiting list times, and improve patient care. Following this successful pilot, we plan to introduce the standby patient across further surgical lists within the trust.

EP474 - Recycling Theatre Waste: A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract Background Theatre waste recycling is a crucial aspect of sustainable theatre production. Staff are usually under time pressure to empty and clean the theatre. This quality improvement project (QIP) aims to assess and reduce waste-related cost and carbon footprint by improving the proportion of waste recycled. Methods A retrospective review of the waste data and related cost for main theatres in Nottingham City Hospital (NCH) in 2022 was audited. A quick guide for waste disposal and recycling was made with the help of environmental department and was disseminated to the theatre staff electronically and physically. Data was reaudited for February to March 2023 post intervention. Results 86.6 tons of waste was generated from the main theatres in NCH in 2022 and 18.4% of the waste was recycled. Monthly proportion of waste recycled ranged from 9.3% (January 2022) to 35.0% (December 2022). The proportion of waste recycled for February and March was 36.7% and 26.4% respectively. Conclusion The findings of this QIP demonstrate the potential for significant improvements in theatre waste recycling rates, which can lead to reduced cost and carbon footprint. The use of a quick guide for waste disposal and recycling proved to be an effective intervention in improving recycling rates among theatre staff. This QIP highlights the importance of promoting sustainable practices in the theatre industry, and the necessity to sustain the effort to maintain the impact.

Towards an Egyptian Theatre: Syncretic Aesthetics in the Works of Tawfiq al-Hakim and Yousuf Idris

Tawfiq al-Ḥakīm (1898-1987) and Yūsuf Idrīs (1927-1991) are two towering figures in Egyptian and Arabic theatre, not only for their poignant social commentary but also for their bold theoretical and theatrical innovations. Their contributions served to decolonize the Egyptian stage and paved the way for subsequent generations to reclaim an Egyptian identity. The objective of the current research paper is to investigate how the two playwrights syncretized elements from Western and Eastern theatrical traditions that created unique and impactful theatrical experiences which are neither Western nor indigenous but amalgamation of both. Moreover, the paper delves into the dramatic world of al-Ḥakīm and Idrīs, specifically al-Ḥakīm’s Agamemnon (as revisited and reworked in Qālibunā al-masraḥī [Our Theatrical Mold (1967) and Idrīs’s al-Farāfīr (1964). Through an examination of these plays, the analysis explores the playwrights' experimentation with dramatic form, which draws upon the rich tapestry of Egyptian folk culture, while simultaneously engaging with the universality of content found within the Western dramatic canon. The research paper is grounded in a multifaceted theoretical framework that integrates several theoretical concepts. Deploying Christopher Balme’s “syncretism,” along with Homi Bhabha’s “third space” and Erika Fischer-Lichte’s “interweaving” as analytical framework, this paper examines the transaction between indigenous and colonial theatrical productions that led to the emergence of new dramaturgies by al-Ḥakīm and Idrīs that bridge the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial paradigms. The paper concludes that the playwrights’ incorporation of syncretic forms in their plays represents the recognition of multifaceted cultural heritage.