Devising Performance: A Critical History

Theatre and Performance Practices

by Jane Milling, Deirdre Heddon

What is the history of devised theatre? Why have theatre-makers, since the 1950s, chosen to devise performances? What different sorts of devising practices are there? What are the myths attached to devising, and what are the realities?

First published in 2005, Devising Performance remains the only book to offer the reader a history of devising practice. Charting the development of collaboratively created performances from the 1950s to the early 21st century, it presents a range of case studies drawn from Britain, America and Australia. Companies discussed include The Living Theatre, Open Theatre, Australian Performing Group, People Show, Teatro Campesino, Théâtre de Complicité, Legs on the Wall, Forced Entertainment, Goat Island and Graeae. Providing a history of devising practice, Deirdre Heddon and Jane Milling encourage us to look more carefully at the different modes of devising and to consider the implications of our use of these practices in the 21st century.

Genres: Theatre

282 pages, Paperback

First published October 18, 2005

Reviews

[Col]

read for school (in full)

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gives a surprisingly cursory look at the history of "devised performance". The limited scope of the history - with a few exceptions, the authors restrict their analysis to companies operating Australia, Great Britain and United States - gives a strange bias to the overall structure of the book.

I think the bibliography might be the strongest aspect of this book - pointing the way to better material for analysis.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

covers devising history in UK, US, and Australia. I found quite a few typos. Really focuses more on devising companies than anything else