On the Art of the Theatre

Teorie Współczesnego Teatru

by Edward Gordon Craig, Franc Chamberlain (Editor)

First published in 1911, On the Art of the Theatre remains one of the seminal texts of theatre theory and practice.

Actor, director, designer and pioneering theorist, Edward Gordon Craig was one of twentieth century theatre 's great modernisers. Here, he is eloquent and entertaining in expounding his views on the theatre; a crucial and prescient contribution that retains its relevance almost a century later.

This reissue contains a wealth of new features:


a specially written Introduction and notes from editor Franc Chamberlain
an updated bibliography
further reading.
Controversial and original, On the Art of the Theatre stands as one of the most influential books on theatre of the twentieth century.

Genres: Art, Theatre, Nonfiction, Plays, Drama

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Edward Henry Gordon Craig CH OBE, sometimes known as Gordon Craig, was an English modernist theatre practitioner; he worked as an actor, director and scenic designer, as well as developing an influential body of theoretical writings.

Reviews

[lizzie mcguire · Rating 2 out of 5]

very idealistic for sure, but an interesting and recommended read for anyone with interest in theater

[Becky Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well. Craig is over dramatic--to the point of being foolish at times--and he's a little bit whiny and with a healthy dose of misogyny, this can be a trying read. The editor's notes are helpful both in tempering Craig and in providing context to the time. Craig has some interesting ideas, though, and it's fun to play with how they've evolved since the early 1900s.

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

grandios, so spannend

[Robert Reinhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig's early 20th century seminal work catapulted the ideas of his great successors - Stanislavski, the Actor's Studio, Peter Brook - amalgamating all the crafts (scenic design), movement, scene, action and voice that coheres on a stage dynamically.After reading this you'll likely attend a play and react differently in the future. His essay on the ghosts in Shakespeare's plays - especially Macbeth - expands the feeling of the play and other theatre enormously. I just learned, post-review, that during WWII Craig and his family were interned by the Germans in a prison in Paris during the Occupation and was released only because of the courageous intercession of Sylvia Beach, proprietor of Shakespeare and Company and publisher of Ulysses. She herself was later imprisoned too.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Craig's idea of actors as marionettes, little more than mindless slaves of the director is interesting on the page and probably works well in film, but is rather dull when put into practice on stage. For me, the thrill of live theater is the chemistry between actors, seeing what each brings to the performance, under the unifying force of a strong directorial vision. Part of me wonders if Craig conceived of his brainchild after the hair-tearing experience of directing a pack of egotistical, flakey actors ("What's my motivation?" "i'm having an existential crisis and will therefore be two hours late to every rehearsal"). Craig's ideas on set design and lighting, however, were revolutionary and continue to be in use to this day.

This work is highly recommended to theater majors or anyone else with a love of the theater and an interest in its evolution.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rated this book in the way I did not because I agree with all his opinions (his definition of art, sexism, etc.) but it was such an interesting read and an interesting way to think about theatre, as well as a snapshot of a particular theatrical era.