Divadelní revue (Czech Theatre Review) 2017 · no 1

vol. 28 · March 2017 · no 1

Summary

The first issue of 2017’s Theatre Review brings forward a larger section, which involves essays and analyses that focus on various topics. Alena Sarkissian’s “Being an actor: Greek Thespis’ from the 5 th Century BC until the onset of Hellenism” discusses the topic of touring actors. Touring was an integral part of actor’s profession since its establishment in Greece at the beginning of the classical period: the first extant documents are contained in the so-called Parian Chronicle. Employing epigraphic and archaeological material, the article presents the main routes and destinations of first touring companies and raises the question of traveling actors who commuted between native Greece and so-called Great Greece. From this yet virtually unknown perspective, the paper looks at the mutual influences between the touring practice and presented performances. The essay examines this issue up to the beginning of Hellenistic epoch, which brought about significant changes in the Greek theatrical tradition. Daniela Čadková’s article “Notes on the Genre of Amateur Parodic Operettas” draws attention to the neglected genre of Czech amateur parodic operetta, which was an important representative of Czech theatrical culture of the 2 nd half of 19 th century, and briefly describes its features. The paper discusses musical-dramatic works of amateur composers and librettists who parodied ‘highbrow’ genres and subjects or canonical dramas, novels and operas. Operettas were performed by amateur and amusement clubs in villages and large cities. Majority of these works was staged on occasion of club entertainments and carnival or New Year’s parties, or on the St. Nicholas, St. Joseph, or St. Cecilia Day (patron of music). Natálie Nečasová and Dorota Gremlicová’s “Case Zdenka Podhajská: Dance Art in the Times of Modernism” presents the dance career of Czech dancer, Zdenka Podhajská, who was active both in Czechoslovakia and abroad, especially in France and partly in Italy in 1920s and 1930s. The authors analyze the sources of her dance style (classical dance, Laban’s style through Madika Szantó, Duncanism in the interpretation of Ellen Tels-Rabanek, Prampolini’s futuristic pantomime), identify her social position (as an educated girl from rich, well- situated family with many contacts in artistic and intellectual circles at home and abroad), and follow the course of her career in specific performances. Her activities are reflected as a symptom within the spectrum of modernist dance. In this respect, the complicated mixture of influences, styles and sources are presented, as well as the relationship with the exponents of modernist dance culture, their dance styles and works (modernist ballet of Diaghilev’s Les Ballets Russes, new dance of Isadora Duncan, Rudolf Laban, Rosalia Chladek etc.). Jitka Goriaux Pelechová’s “Triumph of Love: Luc Bondy’s Dangerous Marivaux” examines Swiss stage director’s production of Pierre Marivaux’s play, which is considered a milestone of Bondy’s career. The paper analyzes dramaturgical, scenographic and acting potential of Berlin Schaubühne ensemble, with whom Luc Bondy created the production. Moreover, the analysis stresses ultimately new, socially and merely psychologically realistic approach to the playwright of French rococo style. The special section “Theses for Discussion (Czech theatre studies national conference Perspectives of Theatre Studies 2017)” addresses current methodological and conceptual issues of Czech theatre studies related with performance analysis and historiography. The published theses, including David Drozd’s modified opening speech “Performance Analysis and Theatre Historiography” and reactions of four scholars, stem from the discussion which occurred at the national conference of Czech theatre studies Perspectives of Theatre Studies 2017. The issue contains an interview with Czech theatre scholar and archivist Zdena Benešová, as well as five reviews of recently published books. The closing section “correspondence” includes Eva Stehlíková’s comment on the interview with Vladimír Just and František Hrdlička’s reaction on Martin J. Švejda’s essay about Theatre on the Balustrade in the early 1970s, both published in Theatre Review 3/2017.

essays & analyses

Alena Sarkissian
Being an Actor: Greek Actors from the 5 th Century BC until the onset of Hellenism [article]


Daniela Čadková

Notes on the Genre of Amateur Parodic Operettas [essay]

Natálie Nečasová & Dorota Gremlicová
Case Zdenka Podhajská: Dance Art in the Times of Modernism [article]


Jitka Goriaux Pelechová
Triumph of Love: Luc Bondy’s Dangerous Marivaux [article]


perspectives

David Drozd
Performance Analysis and Theatre Historiography Theses for Discussion (Czech theatre studies national conference Perspectives of Theatre Studies 2017) [essay]

Helena Spurná
Theses for Discussion [essay]

Pavel Janoušek
Theses for Discussion [essay]

Martin Pšenička
Theses for Discussion: Notes in a Bottle: Culture from the Perspective of Theatre [essay]

Martin Bernátek
Theses for Discussion [essay]

interview

Appropriately Cheeky. Interview with the theatre scholar and archivist Zdena Benešová (Barbara Topolová) [interview]

reviews

Ondřej Černý
Theatre Depth of the Abyss between us and Ancient Times (Matthias Dreyer. Theater der Zäsur: Antike Tragödie im Theater seit den 1960 er Jahren) [review]

Pavel Janoušek
Čapek as a Dramaturgical Manual for Everyone (Jana Cindlerová. Dramaturgie her Karla Čapka) [review]

Jan Šotkovský
Municipal Prague Theatres 1945–1972 in two anthologies (Městská divadla pražská v éře Oty Ornesta [1950–1972]) [review]

Daniela Čadková
Fibich, Vrchlický and Šustíková’s Hippodamia (Věra Šustíková. Fibichova Hippodamie a Hippodamie Vrchlického: Kritická edice libreta cyklu scénickych melodramů.) [review]

Tomáš Havelka
We, the class of pupils, you watch here (Markéta Klosová. Divadelní svět J. A. Komenského) [review]

new book releases (January–June 2017)

correspondence

Eva StehlíkováErratum, or Sclerotic Granny’s Complaints Ad interview with Vladimírem Justem (DR 3/2016) [letter]

František HrdličkaFew Comments Ad „Normalizace svépomocí“ (DR 3/2016) [letter]

Resumes of peer-reviewed articles

Alena Sarkissian
Being an Actor: Greek Actors from the 5 th Century BC until the onset of Hellenism.

The essay discusses the topic of touring actors. Touring was an integral part of actor’s profession since its establishment in Greece at the beginning of the classical period: the first extant documents are contained in the so-called Parian Chronicle. Employing epigraphic and archaeological material, the article presents the main routes and destinations of first touring companies and raises the question of traveling actors who commuted between native Greece and so-called Great Greece. From this yet virtually unknown perspective, the paper looks at the mutual influences between the touring practice and presented performances. The essay examines this issue up to the beginning of Hellenistic epoch, which brought about significant changes in the Greek theatrical tradition.

Contact: Alena Sarkissian (Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy, CAS, Prague) — sarkissian(at)ics.cas.cz

Natálie Nečasová & Dorota Gremlicová
Case Zdenka Podhajská: Dance Art in the Times of Modernism.

The paper discusses the dance career of Czech dancer, Zdenka Podhajská, who was active both in Czechoslovakia and abroad, especially in France and partly in Italy in 1920s and 1930s. The authors analyze the sources of her dance style (classical dance, Laban’s style through Madika Szantó, Duncanism in the interpretation of Ellen Tels-Rabanek, Prampolini’s futuristic pantomime), identify her social position (as an educated girl from rich, well-situated family with many contacts in artistic and intellectual circles at home and abroad), and follow the course of her career in specific performances. Her activities are reflected as a symptom within the spectrum of modernist dance of that time. In this respect, the complicated mixture of influences, styles and sources are presented, as well as the relationship with the exponents of modernist dance culture, their dance styles and works (modernist ballet of Diaghilev’s Les Ballets Russes, new dance of Isadora Duncan, Rudolf Laban, Rosalia Chladek etc.).

Contact: Natálie Nečasová (Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Prague) — necasova.natalie(at)seznam.cz
Contact: Dorota Gremlicová (Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Prague) — dorota.gremlicova(at)hamu.cz

Jitka Goriaux Pelechová
Triumph of Love: Luc Bondy’s Dangerous Marivaux.

The production of Pierre Marivaux’s Triumph of Love is considered a milestone of Luc Bondy’s career. The paper analyzes dramaturgical, scenographic and acting potential of Berlin Schaubühne ensemble, with whom Luc Bondy created the production. Moreover, the analysis stresses ultimately new, socially and merely psychologically realistic approach to the playwright of French rococo style.

Contact: Jitka Goriaux Pelechová (Prague) — jitka.goriaux(at)yahoo.fr