The aim of this thesis is to explore an heuristic analogy as proposed in its very title: how does a concept of the “uncanny in mimesis” and of the “theatre of death” give content to each other – historically and theoretically – as distinct from the one providing either a description of, or even a metaphor for, the other? Thus, while the title for this concept of theatre derives from an eponymous manifesto of Tadeusz Kantor’s, the thesis does not aim to explain what the concept might mean in this historically specific instance only. Rather, it aims to develop a comparative analysis, through the question of mimesis, allowing for different theatre artists to be related within what will be proposed as a “minor” tradition of modernist art theatre (that “of death”). This comparative enquiry – into theatre practices conceived of in terms of the relation between abstraction and empathy, in which the “model” for the actor is seen in mannequins, puppets, or effigies – is developed through such questions as the following: What difference does it make to the concept of “theatre” when thought of in terms “of death”? What thought of mimesis do the dead admit of? How has this been figured, historically, in aesthetics? How does an art of theatre participate in the anthropological history of relations between the living and the dead? In this history, how have actors been thought to represent the dead – not in the interpretation of fictional “characters” (from the dramatic canon), but in their very appearance, before an audience, as actors? How might (a minor history of) modernist theatre practice be considered in terms of an iconography of such appearances – as distinct from a question of actor training, still less as a question of written drama?

This thesis is a study of the links between female emancipation and the theatre in seventeenth century France. Since both were considered problematical by some religious moralists, the discussion is situated in the context of religious criticism. The approach is broadly chronological and focuses in particular on the work of women playwrights. The religious background is summarized in the Introduction. Part One surveys the cultural climate, discussing links between salon society and the theatre including women's involvement as patrons; their presence in the auditorium and on stage; and the concept of 'bienséance', examined here in the context of the 'querelle du Cid'. Part Two considers the function of the stage as a place where women could literally try out different roles. It examines ways in which women were portrayed in a selection of plays from the 1630s to the 1670s (including works by Mairet, Rotrou, Corneille and Molière), discussing the images of 'la femme forte' and 'la precieuse', and the contribution made by playwrights to the contemporary debate on female emancipation. Part Three is devoted to the work of six women playwrights who had their work published or performed in France between 1650 and 1691 (Madame de Saint-Balmon, Marthe Cosnard, Françoise Pascal, Marie-Catherine Desjardins, Madame Deshoulieres and Catherine Bernard) and one whose only play was performed in England (Anne de La Roche-Guilhen). The discussion focuses not only on the plays themselves and their inspiration, but on what is known of each author's background and literary career, her contacts in literary society and the reception of her work. The involvement of women in the theatre proved of mutual benefit, contributing to its popularity and providing opportunities for their greater freedom and intellectual development.

Theatre and performance have historically been thought of in terms of the temporal while visual arts have been consigned to the field of spatial representation. Performance’s temporality, the fact that it happens in time, is highlighted in many discourses as performance’s greatest asset. This thesis investigates what we can find out about performance’s temporality by examining the material conditions of production and reception. By placing the focus off the event of performance and exploring issues around labour, work and leisure time; the art historical and economic relationship of performance and visual art; and the material remains of performance, the thesis seeks to reveal how performance’s temporality functions within a capitalist society. The research sets performance’s duration against different economies of time. It does this within a framework of cultural materialism and the materiality of performance while also situating the work art historically. It investigates the sites of negotiation between performance and the capitalist economy’s temporal logic and interrogates how cultural understandings of time affect experiences of attending to performance’s temporality. In focusing on performance work of both extremely long and short duration, as well as more traditionally staged, theatrical performance, the thesis maps out a genealogy of performance interested in making its temporality visible and often tangible. Placing different art forms alongside performance allows for a symbiotic relationship and thus facilitates new and productive ways of thinking about temporality and duration. Such an approach also makes it possible to identify any blind spots in the theorisations of the temporal in performance studies. The thesis thus proposes a re-evaluation of the terms used in discussion on temporality in performance with a focus on the social, economic and material relations within the production and reception of performance.

This study aims to establish whether the performance or reception of a ‘theatre of resistance’ was possible amid the abundant and popular literary theatre seen during the Occupation of France (1940-1944). Playwrights and critics have made bold claims for five plays that allegedly conveyed hostility towards the occupier or somehow encouraged the French Resistance movement. These premieres will be scrutinised by examining the plays’ scripts, the circumstances surrounding their composition, the acquisition of a performance visa, public reactions and critics’ interpretations from before and after the Liberation of August 1944. I intend to demonstrate that the extreme circumstances of war-torn Paris were largely responsible for the classification of these complex works and their authors as either pro-Resistance or pro-Collaboration, a binary opposition I will challenge. While it is understandable that certain lines or themes took on special relevance, writers would not risk attracting the attention of the German or Vichy authorities. Mythical or historical subject material was (deliberately) far removed from the situation of 1940s audiences, yet was presented in the form of ‘new’ tragedies that resonated with their preoccupations. Individual testimony confirms that certain plays provided a morale boost by reaffirming hope in the future of France.

This thesis discusses the acting techniques employed by actors for tragedy of the Greek stage during the twentieth century. It argues that there were two main acting schools - 'school' here meaning an established unified style of acting shared by a group of actors and directors. The first, starting with the 1936 production of Electra by Sophocles directed by Dimitris Rontiris's at the National Theatre of Greece and running through roughly to the late 1970s, developed from a vocal/rhetorical/text-based approach. The second, established by Karolos Koun's Art Theatre in 1942 and which can be said to have ended with his death in 1987, was based on a bodily/physical one. The thesis examines the ways in which these two schools combined and influenced acting, creating new tendencies in the last three decades of the twentieth century. The focus here is on tragedy because this genre is presented on the Greek stage regularly, and, therefore, it is an eloquent example of the evolution of acting in Greece. Sophocles's Electra has been chosen as a case study not only because the play was frequently staged throughout the twentieth century, but primarily because it was acted and directed by important actors and directors who occupied quite different positions within the Greek theatre field. Thus it is a play that provides the most potent example of the development of the acting schools in question. This thesis is an empirical study using Greek actors and directors as its primary source. In giving them a strong voice, it follows their creative process and their perception of their roles and productions. At the same time, it provides a historical context for understanding the conditions of Greek theatre life and their impact on Greek actors and their work.

This thesis examines the question of who the main audiences of West African literary theatre in English are and what they expect from literary theatre performances. Through a survey of audiences at performances in Ghana and Nigeria, it shows that the main audiences of literary theatre in English in this region of Africa are mainly students and the educated elite. The language of these plays and the main venues of performance are largely seen as responsible for this limited but important audience. The study concludes that since playwrights and their audiences see theatre as a medium for social change and edification respectively, this category of audiences are strategic targets. The study, however, sees the role of other theatre practices, such as Theatre for Development and Concert Party Theatre, which are in local languages and target the larger, less educated sections of society as more relevant but complementary to literary theatre in English. This thesis also highlights the lively interaction of West African audiences with theatre performances. Theatre practitioners encourage the active participation of their audiences by casting them in concrete roles or by directly addressing them, thus insisting on their participation.

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