The focus of this dissertation is the theatrical representation of both the individual and war in a time of disintegrating national states and the dramatisation of destruction versus survival as the driving forces on stage. In a study on the future of empire it has been observed that instead of progressing into a peaceful future, the 21st century has slipped back in time into the nightmare of perpetual and indeterminate state of warfare: ceasing to be the exceptional state, war has become 'the primary organising principle of society', thus echoing Giorgio Agamben's declaration that the state of exception has become the status quo. Seminal studies on contemporary warfare and society such as Mary Kaldor's New & Old Wars (2005) and Ulrich Beck's World at Risk (2008 [2007]) trace how the face of war has changed over the past fifteen years. The dramatic texts examined in this thesis reach from plays depicting inner-state conflict, civil war and the politics of fear, for example Caryl Churchill's Far Away (2000), Sarah Kane's Blasted (1995) and Zinnie Harris's war trilogy (2005-2008) over documentary and verbatim-based plays and their attempt to portray the trauma of war by recreating on stage the process of giving testimony and by endorsing public grieving (e.g. various Tricycle productions and Gregory Burke's Black Watch [2006]), to adaptations of Greek tragedies (like Martin Crimp's Cruel and Tender [2004]) and a Shakespearean play. The questions underlying this work are: how can war be represented on stage? and, how do the plays replicate the sociological structures leading to violence and war and explore their transformation of societies? Springing from the discussion about 'New Wars' in the age of globalisation, it will be demonstrated here how these 'New Wars' also bring forth new plays about war.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estudar pontuais questões estéticas e formais na peça da dramaturga inglesa Sarah Kane: Blasted (1995), de modo a entender a forma e sua respectiva correspondência com o contexto sócio-histórico. Em linhas gerais, o estudo objetiva investigar os procedimentos formais utilizados por Kane e as relações entre tema e forma, partindo do pressuposto de Peter Szondi que compreende a forma como conteúdo precipitado. Nesse sentido, analisaremos de que maneira elementos temáticos, tais como a violência (psicológica, verbal, física), a guerra, o abuso sexual e tabus, tais como, cenas de intercurso hetero e homossexual, canibalismo, entre outros, são amplamente utilizados pela dramaturga e como se engendram estruturalmente no enredo da peça. Para tanto, procuramos fazer uma breve introdução histórico teatral ao contexto político, econômico e social da Inglaterra nos anos noventa, à peça, à dramaturga e à estética teatral do In-yer-face theatre. Em seguida, focamos na apresentação cena-a-cena da peça, dedicada à análise pormenorizada de Blasted e ao levantamento das temáticas relevantes expressas na peça. Finalmente, nos dedicamos às relações formais e escolhas estéticas presentes em Blasted, relacionadas aos eventos histórico-sociais a que a peça remete. / The present work aims to study specific formal-aesthetic issues in the 1995 play Blasted by British playwright Sarah Kane in order to understand the play´s form as related to its socio-historical context. In general terms, this study aims to investigate the formal procedures used by Kane and the plays relations between theme and form, according to Peter Szondi´s assumptions which comprehend that form could be conceived of as precipitated content. In this sense, we will analyze how themes such as psychological, verbal and physical violence, war, sexual abuse and taboo scenes of heterosexual and homosexual intercourse, for example, or cannibalism, among others, are widely used by the playwright and how they are structurally embedded in the plot of the play. The study starts with a brief historical introduction to the political, economic and social context of England in the nineties, followed by an introduction to the play and its theatrical context, to the playwright and to the aesthetic principles of In-yer-face theatre. Then, we focus on the detailed analysis of each scene of the play, stressing its relevant issues. Lastly, we proceed to analyze the formal relations and the aesthetic choices present in Blasted, as related to the social-historical events that the play refers to.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estudar pontuais questões estéticas e formais na peça da dramaturga inglesa Sarah Kane: Blasted (1995), de modo a entender a forma e sua respectiva correspondência com o contexto sócio-histórico. Em linhas gerais, o estudo objetiva investigar os procedimentos formais utilizados por Kane e as relações entre tema e forma, partindo do pressuposto de Peter Szondi que compreende a forma como conteúdo precipitado. Nesse sentido, analisaremos de que maneira elementos temáticos, tais como a violência (psicológica, verbal, física), a guerra, o abuso sexual e tabus, tais como, cenas de intercurso hetero e homossexual, canibalismo, entre outros, são amplamente utilizados pela dramaturga e como se engendram estruturalmente no enredo da peça. Para tanto, procuramos fazer uma breve introdução histórico teatral ao contexto político, econômico e social da Inglaterra nos anos noventa, à peça, à dramaturga e à estética teatral do In-yer-face theatre. Em seguida, focamos na apresentação cena-a-cena da peça, dedicada à análise pormenorizada de Blasted e ao levantamento das temáticas relevantes expressas na peça. Finalmente, nos dedicamos às relações formais e escolhas estéticas presentes em Blasted, relacionadas aos eventos histórico-sociais a que a peça remete. / The present work aims to study specific formal-aesthetic issues in the 1995 play Blasted by British playwright Sarah Kane in order to understand the play´s form as related to its socio-historical context. In general terms, this study aims to investigate the formal procedures used by Kane and the plays relations between theme and form, according to Peter Szondi´s assumptions which comprehend that form could be conceived of as precipitated content. In this sense, we will analyze how themes such as psychological, verbal and physical violence, war, sexual abuse and taboo scenes of heterosexual and homosexual intercourse, for example, or cannibalism, among others, are widely used by the playwright and how they are structurally embedded in the plot of the play. The study starts with a brief historical introduction to the political, economic and social context of England in the nineties, followed by an introduction to the play and its theatrical context, to the playwright and to the aesthetic principles of In-yer-face theatre. Then, we focus on the detailed analysis of each scene of the play, stressing its relevant issues. Lastly, we proceed to analyze the formal relations and the aesthetic choices present in Blasted, as related to the social-historical events that the play refers to.

Nesta dissertação, busca-se analisar os elementos dramatúrgicos constituintes da polêmica peça Shopping and Fucking (1996), do dramaturgo britânico Mark Ravenhill, relacionando suas características de forma e conteúdo e seus decorrentes imbricamentos. O ponto de partida dessa empreitada encontra-se não somente em obras teóricas importantes da crítica de literatura, teatro e cultura de autoria de Peter Szondi, Anatol Rosenfeld, Roberto Schwarz e Fredric Jameson, mas também nas de autores mais estreitamente vinculados às ciências econômicas e à crítica do sistema mundial como Ernst Mandel e Robert Kurz. Podemos, por meio dessa análise, concluir que Ravenhill é capaz de retratar por meio da configuração da peça aspectos simultaneamente relacionados tanto à subjetividade quanto à sociedade contemporâneas ambas em estado de crise permanente. Na primeira parte da dissertação, procura-se introduzir historicamente a peça, o teatro In-yer-face e o período Thatcher. Na segunda parte, destacam-se principalmente os temas presentes abordados em relação à forma. Na terceira, há uma predominância da análise formal e observa-se a presença de elementos épicos que, algumas vezes desvirtuados, desestruturam a forma puramente dramática. Constatação essa que, segundo levantamento bibliográfico realizado, ainda não havia sido defendida por críticos que se debruçaram sobre a obra desse dramaturgo. E, na quarta parte, nas considerações finais, procura-se entender a forma e a sua respectiva correspondência com o contexto sócio-histórico segundo as considerações analíticas levantadas nos capítulos anteriores. / In this dissertation, our goal is to analyze the theatrical elements that constitute the controversial play Shopping and Fucking (1996), by the British playwright Mark Ravenhill, relating its characteristics of form and content and their resulting intersections. The focus lies not only on the important theoretical works of literature, theatre and culture critique by Peter Szondi, Anatol Rosenfeld, Roberto Schwarz and Fredric Jameson, but also on those of authors more closely tied to economics and world system critics such as Ernst Mandel and Robert Kurz. The analysis concludes that Ravenhill simultaneously relates aspects of subjectivity and the contemporary society both in a state of permanent crisis. The first part of the dissertation introduces the play, the In-yer-face theatre and the Thatcher period. The second part emphasizes the themes presented addressed in relation to the form. The third part stresses the predominance of formal analysis, in which epic elements, somewhat garbled, deconstruct the dramatical form. Nevertheless, according to bibliographical research, such an analysis has not been developed, to the present day, by critics familiar with Ravenhill\'s theatrical works. In the concluding chapter an understanding is sought towards the plays form and its correspondences with the socio-historical context following our previous analysis.

Nesta dissertação, busca-se analisar os elementos dramatúrgicos constituintes da polêmica peça Shopping and Fucking (1996), do dramaturgo britânico Mark Ravenhill, relacionando suas características de forma e conteúdo e seus decorrentes imbricamentos. O ponto de partida dessa empreitada encontra-se não somente em obras teóricas importantes da crítica de literatura, teatro e cultura de autoria de Peter Szondi, Anatol Rosenfeld, Roberto Schwarz e Fredric Jameson, mas também nas de autores mais estreitamente vinculados às ciências econômicas e à crítica do sistema mundial como Ernst Mandel e Robert Kurz. Podemos, por meio dessa análise, concluir que Ravenhill é capaz de retratar por meio da configuração da peça aspectos simultaneamente relacionados tanto à subjetividade quanto à sociedade contemporâneas ambas em estado de crise permanente. Na primeira parte da dissertação, procura-se introduzir historicamente a peça, o teatro In-yer-face e o período Thatcher. Na segunda parte, destacam-se principalmente os temas presentes abordados em relação à forma. Na terceira, há uma predominância da análise formal e observa-se a presença de elementos épicos que, algumas vezes desvirtuados, desestruturam a forma puramente dramática. Constatação essa que, segundo levantamento bibliográfico realizado, ainda não havia sido defendida por críticos que se debruçaram sobre a obra desse dramaturgo. E, na quarta parte, nas considerações finais, procura-se entender a forma e a sua respectiva correspondência com o contexto sócio-histórico segundo as considerações analíticas levantadas nos capítulos anteriores. / In this dissertation, our goal is to analyze the theatrical elements that constitute the controversial play Shopping and Fucking (1996), by the British playwright Mark Ravenhill, relating its characteristics of form and content and their resulting intersections. The focus lies not only on the important theoretical works of literature, theatre and culture critique by Peter Szondi, Anatol Rosenfeld, Roberto Schwarz and Fredric Jameson, but also on those of authors more closely tied to economics and world system critics such as Ernst Mandel and Robert Kurz. The analysis concludes that Ravenhill simultaneously relates aspects of subjectivity and the contemporary society both in a state of permanent crisis. The first part of the dissertation introduces the play, the In-yer-face theatre and the Thatcher period. The second part emphasizes the themes presented addressed in relation to the form. The third part stresses the predominance of formal analysis, in which epic elements, somewhat garbled, deconstruct the dramatical form. Nevertheless, according to bibliographical research, such an analysis has not been developed, to the present day, by critics familiar with Ravenhill\'s theatrical works. In the concluding chapter an understanding is sought towards the plays form and its correspondences with the socio-historical context following our previous analysis.

This master's thesis concerns itself with the motive of "despair" in contemporary Czech drama. It includes an analysis of selected plays written after 2000 by leading Czech authors belonging to the middle generation (Petr Zelenka; David Drábek; Jiří Pokorný; Petr Kolečko; Tomáš Svoboda; Lenka Lagronová; Iva Klestilová, born Volánková). The aim of the thesis is to analyze these dramas, to define characteristic elements and to determine whether we can identify a clear "desperate people" motive within their characters, deeming it a characteristic feature of contemporary Czech drama written by the middle generation. Using a comparative method we explore typical repetitive motives of the characters - anti- heroes, which suffer from having an unfulfilled personal life, a feeling of loneliness or a midlife crisis. The master's thesis describes the causes and manifestations of despair of the characters, as well as the solutions the dramas offer to the bleak situation (insanity, suicide, miracle). KEYWORDS contemporary Czech drama, motive of "losers", in-yer-face theatre, Petr Zelenka, David Drábek, Jiří Pokorný, Petr Kolečko, Tomáš Svoboda, Lenka Lagronová, Iva Klestilová (Volánková)

Cette thèse examine comment les pièces de Martin McDonagh, dans le texte même et sur scène, démontre les éléments destructeur, homogénéisant, et renforçant des stéréotypes de la mondialisation, ainsi que les éléments positifs comme l’échange culturel et la ‘glocalisation.’ Ceci est réalisé en analysant les représentations comique du terrorisme et terrorisation présent dans les pièces, ainsi qu’une analyse de trois traductions des pièces de McDonagh en français, et une étude sur la représentation du caractère Irlandais dans les pièces de McDonagh à l’étranger. / This thesis examines the means by which the plays of Martin McDonagh, both in text and performance, display the destructive, homogenizing, or stereotype-reinforcing element of globalization, as well as the positive elements such as globalized cultural exchange and (g)localization. It does so through an analysis of the humorous representations of terrorism and terrorization present in the plays, an in depth study of three French translations of the plays, and a study of the representation of Irishness in McDonagh’s plays abroad.

Face à l’opacité interprétative et la faillite du langage auxquelles nous nous heurtons dans l’analyse des œuvres-chocs de Sarah Kane, quelle approche nous permettrait de commenter exhaustivement les formes et les moyens mis en œuvre par la dramaturge pour imprimer sa marque dans l’esprit du spectateur contemporain? Le théâtre postdramatique, paradigme élaboré par Hans-Thies Lehmann, présenterait a priori un dispositif pertinent pour faire lumière sur des problématiques contemporaines cruciales en jeu dans l’œuvre de Kane. Aucunement univoque, car soumis à l’interprétation et à l’engagement du spectateur, le caractère politique des pièces, pourtant spectral, s’avère ici essentiel. Ce spectre politique se laisse percevoir à travers le prisme de la violence et la nécessité du choc semble être son parti pris pour redéfinir le rôle du théâtre dans nos sociétés modernes caractérisées par la circulation massive des images à travers les nouveaux médias. Un lien de coresponsabilité de l’artiste et du spectateur se crée: l’œuvre nous interroge, spectateur/lecteur, sur la part mystérieuse de ce fond de cruauté humaine et sur notre complicité dans l’omniprésence de la violence à travers la consommation de ses produits. Mettant en relief les caractères transgressifs venant bousculer nos affects à travers des références à la « culture d’en bas » et un exercice des limites du spectaculaire centré sur l’obscène et le détournement des codes de la pornographie, cette lecture postdramatique de Cleansed et de Phaedra’s love entend restituer à l’œuvre de Kane son énergie pour un changement qui passe par un éveil des sens. / Faced with the interpretive opacity and failure of language in the analysis of Sarah Kane’s violent plays, what approach could allow us to review the forms and means used by the playwright in order to leave her mark in the mind of the contemporary viewer? The paradigm of the post-dramatic theater, proposed by Hans-Thies Lehmann, constitutes an appropriate device for highlighting the contemporary issues at stake in the work of Kane. Since it strongly depends on the interpretation and the engagement of the viewer, the meaning of the plays are not univocal. Their spectral political nature proves essential here. This political spectrum reveals itself through the prism of violence. The necessity of shock appears to be its bias to redefine the role of theater in modern societies characterized by the flow of images through mass media. A link of co-responsibility between artist and viewer is created. Indeed as viewers/readers, Kane’s plays lead us to question ourselves on the mysterious and intimate depths of human cruelty and our complicity with the omnipresence of violence through consumption of its products. By focusing on the transgressive characteristics of Kane’s dramatic art that shake viewers out of their affective complacency through the references to "culture from below" and through the use of an obscene language and imagery, and through the diversion of pornography’s codes, this postdramatic reading of Cleansed and Phaedra's love intends to restore the energy inherent in Kane’s work. It is an energy that aims for radical change by awakening our senses.