Naturalism in Theatre: Its Development and Legacy

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Description

An accessible survey of the development of naturalism and its effects on modern-day theatre. Taking into account the philosophical, scientific and aesthetic ideas that constituted the movement during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the book examines why naturalism is still a dominant mode of performance in theatre.

Reviews

"This interesting, well-written textbook looks at naturalism from the earliest theorists and practitioners to its likely modern equivalents...the book is engaging for seasoned theatre scholars" - Choice Reviews "A must-have book for valuing and respecting the words, 'Naturalism in Theatre', and its past, present and future influences on our theatrical history." - Word Matters: The Journal of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama "The book illuminates, with commendable scope and ambition, the wider cultural, political and philosophical dimensions of Naturalist theatre, and the range of theatre practices implicated in its systems of representation. An excellent one-stop course companion to the subject." - Chris Megson, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK 'Pickering and Thompson have crafted a rich and supremely organized text. Exploring the history of naturalist theatre in an array of contexts-from Paris to Moscow to London and beyond-they reveal the complex landscape of a powerful cultural movement. Students will be both engaged and challenged by this creative and critical approach to the study of theatre history.' - Margaret Araneo-Reddy, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA

Author Bio

Kenneth Pickeringis founder/director of the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education in London and is Honorary Professor of Drama and Theatre at the University of Kent, UK. He was also Professor of Theatre and Visiting Scholar in Communication and Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Washington State, USA. Kenneth is the author of Studying Modern Drama and Theatre Studies. Jayne Thompsonis Lecturer in the Drama and Theatre Studies department at the University of Kent, UKwhere she is also the Subject Specialist in Drama. Her teaching is focused on Naturalism, site-specific performance, contemporary performance practice and applied theatre, she is particularly interested in the untrained body in performance. Jayne is also a Director of Scratch Arts (community based contemporary performance company).