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Between 2000 and 2015 twelve of the UK’s leading producing theatres premiered twenty three plays by British playwrights where the action was set between 1882-1928. This historical period is significant; in 1882 the Married Women’s Property Act was passed and in 1928 equal enfranchisement for men and women was granted in the United Kingdom, hence, the historical period traces a shift in women’s rights from property ownership to the vote. This thesis investigates narratives within these plays and explores the development of a normative historiography that is drawn on, but predominantly left unquestioned, by playwrights as Britain’s past is reimagined. It is this normative historiography, operating in a theatrical context, which the thesis problematises and interrogates through the lens of contemporary British playwriting. This lens facilitates an exploration of the manner in which the representation of the past mirrors and/or challenges current feminist discourse and considers the cultural implications of the structures and techniques employed to retell women their history through this medium. Scholarship from the fields of academic and popular feminism, theatre studies, history and historiography shape the analytical framework of the thesis. Drawing on literature from these fields, this study conducts historically informed performance analysis that seeks to discover the sociocultural work done by contemporary plays that engage with the past. Archives of thirty British theatres have been surveyed to produce a database of plays that fall within the project boundaries; working with this data, trends and recurring themes have been identified, and subsequently chapters have been shaped to investigate dramaturgical questions in response to the field research. The dramaturgical questions explore: recurring modes of representation in plays that reimagine World War One; the representation of opposition in depictions of historical conflict; the retelling of specific historical narratives in relation to the challenge of staging ideas; and the recurrence of the heteronormative romantic plot. This thesis argues that when the playwright interrogates the normative dramaturgies and tropes they have inherited for historical representation, they assumes the role of historiographer and from this self-reflexive position recurring theatrical conventions for retelling the past are challenged. This perspective shifts attention beyond central patriarchal narratives of the past and facilitates engagement with the multiple avenues of enquiry regarding a historical moment. Engagement with the work of playwrights who foreground a historiographic awareness in their process, further illuminates the dialogue between representations of women in a historical context and contemporary feminist debate.

Este projeto tem como objetivo investigar duas obras teatrais que poderiam ser pensadas como uma expressão do trágico no mundo contemporâneo. Tal investigação parte da tentativa de compreender o que seria essa tragicidade pesquisando o que haveria de intrínseco à tragédia na Grécia a partir de diferentes olhares filosóficos, e de que modo esse trágico poderia ainda existir hoje. Para delinear os parâmetros do que será chamado de trágico se partirá da conceituação do que é a tragédia feita pelos helenistas Vernant e Vidal-Naquet, para posteriormente entender como pensadores modernos olharam de modo particular para esta questão. Então se tomará como base a ideia de trágico definida por Steiner e os estudos filosóficos de Nietzsche e Agamben sobre tragédia e contemporaneidade. Paralelamente se investigará a teoria antropológica de René Girard sobre como a possibilidade da tragédia pode estar associada ao mecanismo da vítima expiatória. Em seguida será feita a análise das obras teatrais escolhidas justamente porque foram elaboradas a partir de uma pesquisa artística sobre o trágico e se terá como objetivo investigar como os seus criadores compreendem essa retomada da tragicidade e de que modo eles dialogam com os pensadores estudados. Os espetáculos contemporâneos escolhidos para análise são: Tragedia Endogonidia, uma série de episódios teatrais realizados pelo grupo Socìetas Rafaello Sanzio (2002-2004), e a peça Mantenha Fora do Alcance de Crianças, escrita em processo colaborativo com o coletivo [PH²] - estado de teatro (2009). / This project has as an objective investigates two theater works that might be thought like an expression of tragic in the contemporary world. That investigation begins with the tentative of understand what could be that tragic researching what have intrinsic in tragedy from Greece starting with different philosophical views, and how that tragic could still exist today. For outline the parameters that we will call tragic, we begins with the conceptualization of what is the tragedy made by Hellenists Vernant and Vidal-Naquet, for after understand how the modern theorists have a particular look for that question. So, we will build on the idea about tragic defended by Steiner and the philosophical studies from Nietzsche and Agamben about tragedy and contemporaneity. At the same time we will investigate the anthropological theory from René Girard of how the possibility of the tragedy could be associated with expiatory victim mechanism. After that, we will analyst the theatre plays chosen right because were created from an artistic research about tragic and we will have with objective investigate how yours creators understand that resumption of the tragic and how they talk with the theorists studied. The contemporary plays chosen for the analyze are: Tragedia Endogonidia, one series of theater episodes realized by the group Socìetas Rafaello Sanzio (2002-2004), and the play Mantenha Fora do Alcance de Crianças, written in collaborative process with the collective [PH²] - estado de teatro (2009).

Cette thèse a pour objet les dispositifs corporels sur la scène contemporaine traitant de l’irreprésentable. En effet, parmi les artistes contemporains, nombreux sont ceux qui reconnaissent que la représentation théâtrale ne peut saisir le réel de son objet, parce que ce réel est comme un traumatisme qui ne peut être réduit à la langue, ni traduit par elle. Cette notion esthétique de l’irreprésentable, qui recouvre un large champ d’expériences et de pratiques artistiques, sera donc étudiée ici à partir d’événements traumatiques. L’hypothèse essentielle est que l’irreprésentable en tant que traumatisme se rapporte intimement au corps. Renonçant à l’ambition de représenter l’irreprésentable, certains artistes créent et disposent divers dispositifs représentatifs qui s’avèrent corporels. Ils souhaitent que ceux-ci puissent toucher le corps des spectateurs et enclenchent une irruption du réel, pour que chaque spectateur puisse rencontrer son propre réel irreprésentable. La thèse vise d’abord à éclaircir les concepts cruciaux – l’irreprésentable, le dispositif (contrôle foucaldien et pulsion lyotardienne), le théâtre contemporain, le dispositif représentatif et artistique – puis à analyser le travail de trois metteurs en scène – Kim Hyuntak, Romeo Castellucci, Angélica Liddell – en interrogeant, pour chacun, le thème de l’irreprésentable, les dispositifs corporels qu’il conçoit, et sa manière d’interpeller des spectateurs / This dissertation examines the bodily “dispositifs” in the contemporary theatre performances that explore the concept of the “unrepresentable”. Many contemporary artists acknowledge that theatrical representation cannot grasp the Real of its object, because the Real is, as Lacan has argued, equivalent to the trauma that cannot be reduced to, or translated into, language. Therefore, this study considers the aesthetic notion of the unrepresentable, which encompasses a wide range of artistic experiences and practices, from the position of trauma. The central assumption is that the unrepresentable as trauma is intimately related to the body. Renouncing the ambition to represent the unrepresentable, some artists create and place various representative dispositifs that are corporeal in nature. Through the use of such dispositifs, they attempt to touch the bodies of the spectators and trigger an irruption of the Real, so that each spectator can meet one's own Real. This thesis begins by clarifying the crucial concepts—the unrepresentable, the dispositif (Foucault’s control and Lyotard’s drive), the contemporary theater, the representative and artistic dispositif—and proceeds to analyze the works of three directors—Kim Hyuntak, Romeo Castellucci, Angelica Liddell—by investigating the theme of the unrepresentable, the bodily dispositifs that they have conceived, and their ways of affecting spectators.

Over the course of theatre's history, villains had stereotypical traits: revenge, greed, and power. Contemporary villains, though, evoke more empathy and sympathy from audiences than classic villains. In an effort to understand the roots of villainous behavior in contemporary characters, this thesis surveys a few notable classic villains to help compare the classic to the contemporary. While holding on to qualities of the classic stereotypes, contemporary playwrights create frequent moments of sympathy and empathy for villains who appeal to audiences' desires to connect, justify, and understand the reasons for their villainies. This thesis investigates despicable yet empathetic villains in three plays: Tony Kushner's Angels in America, Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins. An analysis of the playwrights' manipulation of characters and traits, as well as audience expectations, provides a theory on the new villain type and the lessons that can be learned.

Orientador: José Manuel Lázaro de Ortecho Ramírez / Banca: Alexandre Mate / Banca: Meran Muniz da Costa Vargens / Resumo: O estudo aborda características do teatro narrativo desenvolvido a partir de meados do século XX, no que se convencionou denominar pós-modernidade. Considerado o contexto do capitalismo multinacional, são apresentados possíveis motivadores sociais, políticos e econômicos, que influenciaram na dificuldade de comunicação, na fragilização da organização de coletivos e na redução da importância dada à memória. Demonstrou-se a intensa ligação entre arte e mercado, especialmente por meio da publicidade e de importações culturais, em uma era marcada pela globalização das redes de informação. Entretanto, percebeu-se que, da mesma maneira como na sociedade, paulatinamente, estruturam-se grupos de reivindicação face às exigências do sistema, na arte se desenvolvem manifestações de oposição às produções vinculada ao consumo de produtos ou ideologias. O teatro narrativo é discutido neste contexto; considerado como uma das possibilidades de restabelecer a comunicação, de propor a discussão e de promover o compartilhamento de experiências entre atores e público. Tais potenciais residem no fato de que ele, embora se configure por aspectos da arte pós-moderna, pressupõe simultaneamente a revalorização da fábula. A estes elementos soma-se o predomínio de aspectos provenientes do gênero épico, bem como a possibilidade de interlocução com o lírico e o dramático. O teatro narrativo é uma das formas de hibridização de linguagens que se desenvolveu no período; lida com elementos de outros momentos históricos e vertentes artísticas e se diferencia pela maneira de organizá-los. Além disso, mesmo diante de pausada caracterização da vertente teatral narrativa, a fim de que a discussão dos expedientes fosse suficientemente clara, optou-se pela exemplificação de duas possibilidade de articulação dos elementos cênicos por meio de espetáculos ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The study deals with narrative theatre characteristics, developed after the middle of XX century, during what is a convention to call post-modernity. Considered the context of the multinational capitalism, there are presented possible social, political and economic reasons that influenced in the difficulty of communication, in the weakness of collective organization and in the reduction of the importance given to memory. It was demonstrated the intense connection between arts and market, especially by publicity and cultural importation, in a time when prevails globalization and information nets. Nevertheless, it was noticed that, in the same way in society there are vindication groups before system requirements, in arts they were developed oppositional manifestations to the production related to products and ideology consumption. Narrative theatre is analyzed in this context; considered as one of the possibilities to re-establish communication, to propose discussions and to promote experience sharing between actors and audience. These potential exist because, even if narrative theatre has aspects of post-modern arts, it also presupposes fable valorization. To this element, they are added up the predominance of epic aspects, as well as the possibility of dialogue also with dramatic and lyric genders. Contemporary narrative theatre is one of the hybrid language forms appeared in XX century; it deals with elements from other historical moments and different artistic slops, and what makes it particular is its way of organizing the procedures. Moreover, in order to let concept considerations comprehensible enough, it was chosen to utilize two procedure articulation examples found in São Paulo's plays, Mire Veja, by Companhia do Feijão, and Hysteria, by Grupo XIX de Teatro / Mestre

Este projeto tem como objetivo investigar duas obras teatrais que poderiam ser pensadas como uma expressão do trágico no mundo contemporâneo. Tal investigação parte da tentativa de compreender o que seria essa tragicidade pesquisando o que haveria de intrínseco à tragédia na Grécia a partir de diferentes olhares filosóficos, e de que modo esse trágico poderia ainda existir hoje. Para delinear os parâmetros do que será chamado de trágico se partirá da conceituação do que é a tragédia feita pelos helenistas Vernant e Vidal-Naquet, para posteriormente entender como pensadores modernos olharam de modo particular para esta questão. Então se tomará como base a ideia de trágico definida por Steiner e os estudos filosóficos de Nietzsche e Agamben sobre tragédia e contemporaneidade. Paralelamente se investigará a teoria antropológica de René Girard sobre como a possibilidade da tragédia pode estar associada ao mecanismo da vítima expiatória. Em seguida será feita a análise das obras teatrais escolhidas justamente porque foram elaboradas a partir de uma pesquisa artística sobre o trágico e se terá como objetivo investigar como os seus criadores compreendem essa retomada da tragicidade e de que modo eles dialogam com os pensadores estudados. Os espetáculos contemporâneos escolhidos para análise são: Tragedia Endogonidia, uma série de episódios teatrais realizados pelo grupo Socìetas Rafaello Sanzio (2002-2004), e a peça Mantenha Fora do Alcance de Crianças, escrita em processo colaborativo com o coletivo [PH²] - estado de teatro (2009). / This project has as an objective investigates two theater works that might be thought like an expression of tragic in the contemporary world. That investigation begins with the tentative of understand what could be that tragic researching what have intrinsic in tragedy from Greece starting with different philosophical views, and how that tragic could still exist today. For outline the parameters that we will call tragic, we begins with the conceptualization of what is the tragedy made by Hellenists Vernant and Vidal-Naquet, for after understand how the modern theorists have a particular look for that question. So, we will build on the idea about tragic defended by Steiner and the philosophical studies from Nietzsche and Agamben about tragedy and contemporaneity. At the same time we will investigate the anthropological theory from René Girard of how the possibility of the tragedy could be associated with expiatory victim mechanism. After that, we will analyst the theatre plays chosen right because were created from an artistic research about tragic and we will have with objective investigate how yours creators understand that resumption of the tragic and how they talk with the theorists studied. The contemporary plays chosen for the analyze are: Tragedia Endogonidia, one series of theater episodes realized by the group Socìetas Rafaello Sanzio (2002-2004), and the play Mantenha Fora do Alcance de Crianças, written in collaborative process with the collective [PH²] - estado de teatro (2009).

Theatre is a location of cultures, the reflection of our daily lives, the present moment we are living. This thesis focuses on studying performances of the Hakka Contemporary Theatre created by female directors (Hakka and Non-Hakka) in Taiwan to observe how they combine western modern theatre forms with Hakka traditional and cultural elements and further transformed the specifics of Hakka culture on stage and represented various images of Hakka women. Through applying theories in relation to diaspora discourse, the hybridity of post-colonialism and postcolonial feminism and theatre study as the foundation of academic research, I attempted to critically examine the hybrid forms and development of the Hakka Contemporary Theatre to explore in depth the meaning of Hakka culture represented in theatre. In this thesis, I firstly offer performance analysis and draw on hybridity discourse and feminism in relation to post-colonial study to discuss three elements: the interaction and negotiated relationship between Hakka women (including female directors and the Hakka actresses), Hakka culture, and modern theatre forms. Furthermore, as part of my research, I critically reflect upon a practical performance project I have undertaken to illustrate how Hakka culture could be presented as subject and be constructed as the subjectivity of the Hakka ethnic group in post-colonial Taiwan. I hope that this thesis may encourage more Taiwanese to appreciate the value of Hakka culture and offer Taiwanese theatrical practitioners a practice of critical hybridity in associating ethnic and cultural issues of Taiwan in the future.

Cette thèse s’intéresse à un mode de réflexivité spécifique qui se dessine chez certains artistes contemporains comme Jérôme Bel, Philippe Quesne, Grand Magasin, entre autres. L’interrogation sur le théâtre – sa nature, son fonctionnement, sa nécessité et sa pertinence au sein de la société –, s’accompagne d’un souci de rapprochement avec le public, observable dans la forme des spectacles : effort de clarté, explicitation des règles du jeu, réserves par rapport au savoir-faire théâtral, mélange de références cultivées et de références populaires. Pourquoi ces productions subventionnées, jouissant de prestige et de reconnaissance au sein des institutions publiques, prennent-elles comme objet le dispositif théâtral lui-même ? Et pourquoi le font-elles de cette manière ? Le métathéâtre du début du XXe siècle, qui présentait des thèmes et structures similaires, réagissait au risque d’obsolescence de la scène, de sa faillite économique et plus encore de la perte de sa validité au sein du monde industrialisé. Notre hypothèse est que le métathéâtre contemporain repose sur un rapport ambivalent avec la représentation théâtrale : entre fascination pour son fonctionnement en tant que structure et scepticisme à l’égard de sa puissance référentielle, d’où résulte un jeu pour le jeu qui ne peut pas se permettre de se prendre au sérieux. D’autres ambiguïtés concernent le rapport au patrimoine culturel occidental, le rapport à l’altérité (sociale, esthétique) et l’inscription dans le système institutionnel. Autant de traits que l’on retrouve hors du monde artistique. Parce qu’il nous donne à voir les représentations mentales qu’ont aujourd’hui du théâtre des artistes qui occupent un rôle important dans le paysage théâtral, le métathéâtre nous est apparu comme une forme privilégiée pour cette observation. / This dissertation addresses a specific mode of reflexivity that appears in the work of certain contemporary artists, such as Jérôme Bel, Philippe Quesne and Grand Magasin. The examination of the theatre — its nature, its function, its necessity and its pertinence within society — is accompanied by a particular concern for getting closer to the audience. This is observable in the form of these artists’ performances, expressed in how the performances give attention to clarity, explain the rules of the game, relate hesitations concerning theatrical savoir-faire, and mix learned and popular references. Why do these subsidised productions, largely praised and recognized within public institutions, take the theatrical apparatus itself as their subject? And what is behind their choice of approaches? The metatheatre of the beginning of the 20th century, which presented similar themes and structures, responded to the risks of the obsolescence of the stage, of its economic collapse, and of its loss of legitimacy within the industrialised world. My hypothesis is that the contemporary metatheatre of the 21st century is based on an ambivalent relation to theatrical performance: between fascination for its functioning as a structure and scepticism with regard to its referential power. This results in a play made for its own sake which refuses to allow itself to be taken seriously. Other ambiguities concern the relation to Western cultural heritage, the relation to otherness (social, aesthetic) and the forms of integration within institutional systems -- traits found just as easily outside the artistic world. Because it reveals how artists occupying an important role in the theatrical landscape view theatre itself, this study considers metatheatre a privileged form of observation.

Os diálogos possíveis entre a prática e o ensino da Cenografia no Brasil aqui identificados são resultantes da investigação e da reflexão sobre a formação do cenógrafo contemporâneo a partir da perspectiva de experiências na prática teatral. O cenógrafo é aqui tratado como artista, responsável pela identidade visual do acontecimento teatral e colaborador no processo de sua criação. A Cenografia é encarada como linguagem situada no contexto teatral sem, no entanto, excluir os seus desdobramentos na prática atual, entendendo que, a partir da sua origem, que é o Teatro, podemos transpor boa parte desta experiência para as demais áreas. O desenvolvimento desta pesquisa baseia-se no acompanhamento in loco de processos vivenciados e metodologias aplicadas nas principais instituições brasileiras de ensino da Cenografia. Os procedimentos são analisados diante do objetivo de reconhecer e apontar caminhos produtivos para a formação do futuro artista cenógrafo. Esta investigação busca indicar rumos que de fato contribuam para o desenvolvimento da qualidade artística e técnica do cenógrafo, de forma que não o restrinja apenas a responder com segurança às suas atribuições, mas que o prepare para atuar e colaborar, efetivamente, como artista criador, nos processos e realizações contemporâneas, participando do desenvolvimento das Artes Cênicas. / The possible dialogues between the practice and teaching of scenography in Brazil, identified herein, are the result of the investigation and reflection about the development of the contemporary scenographer originating from the perception from my experience in theatre practice. Here the scenographer is treated as an artist, responsible for the visual identity of the theatrical event and collaborator in the process of its creation. Scenography is taken as a language within the theatrical context, taking care to not ignore scenography?s expansion into other areas, understanding that starting from its theatre origins we can carry a good part of this experience to these other related areas. The development of this research is based on the processes experienced and methodologies applied in major Brazilian academic institutions that offer bachelor degree level scenography courses. These proceedings are analysed with the objective of recognizing and appointing productive directions for the training of future scenographic artists. This investigation aims to indicate guidelines that contribute to the development of the artistic and technical qualities of the scenographer, not just the capacity to execute their acquired attributes, but to prepare an active collaborator, a creative artist in the process of contemporary productions, participating in the development of the Scenic Arts.