The Sociology of the Theatre, Part One: Problems and Perspectives

Abstract

Although many disciplines have helpfully (and a few less helpfully) interacted with theatre studies over the past decade, progress has been notably slow in the discovery of a dialogue with sociology. Indeed, such progress as has been made has too often, argues Maria Shevtsova. resulted in perceptions and emphases which are not always sympathetic (or seemingly even relevant) to the interests of theatre workers. In this, the first of a three-part introduction to the sociology of theatre, Maria Shevtsova combines an objective analysis of progress to date with a study of the problems and misconceptions encountered along the way, and also proposes a possible methodology for correcting the present imbalance. In future instalments, she will look in particular at the ways in which theatre anthropology and theatre semiotics have helped and hindered this problematic relationship. Now teaching in the Department of French Studies at the University of Sydney, Maria Shevtsova trained in Paris before spending three years at the University of Connecticut. She has previously contributed to Modern Drama, Theatre International, and Theatre Papers, as well as to the original Theatre Quarterly and other journals.

Ostermeier’s Ein Volksfeind on the Anniversary of Turkey’s Gezi Park Protests

“…To sum up, I have offered a sociological sketch of Ostermeier's Ein Volksfeind in the 2014 Istanbul Theatre Festival to illustrate how social factors have an impact on the theatre, because 'theatre and society are reciprocally explicative'. 65 While Ostermeier claimed that the directors of the nineteenth Istanbul Theatre Festival demonstrated great courage in inviting his production to Turkey, he also appeared to have made a daring decision not only to accept the invitation but also to place the Gezi Park protests at the centre of of his production in Istanbul.…”

Class and Performance in the Age of Global Capitalism

“…27 'Theoretical Achievements' explores two elements of the fourteen listed in the earlier article, namely the sociological interpretation of dramatic theory, particularly in terms of the emerging discipline of theatre anthropology, and approaches to dramatic texts and genres. 'Problems and Perspectives' analyses five main blocs of problems based on alleged misunderstandings that have hampered sociological approaches to theatre and offers a 'proposed schema' incorporating a non-exhaustive compilation of fourteen different areas of enquiry, from 'Theoretical Bases' to 'Merging Theatrical Genres'.…”

“…'Problems and Perspectives' analyses five main blocs of problems based on alleged misunderstandings that have hampered sociological approaches to theatre and offers a 'proposed schema' incorporating a non-exhaustive compilation of fourteen different areas of enquiry, from 'Theoretical Bases' to 'Merging Theatrical Genres'. 27 'Theoretical Achievements' explores two elements of the fourteen listed in the earlier article, namely the sociological interpretation of dramatic theory, particularly in terms of the emerging discipline of theatre anthropology, and approaches to dramatic texts and genres. 28 'Performance' concludes the triptych with some practical examples of productions that highlight Shevtsova's framework for a sociology of theatre.…”

The Spectator's Performing Body: the Case of the Via Negativa Theatre Project

“…Unfortunately there are only a few examples of analyses of theatre from sociological or anthropological perspectives. Exceptions are the works of Maria Shevtsova 15 and Piergiorgio Giacchè. 16 While the first focuses on wider social, cultural, and political contexts in which performers and theatre directors work in the modern world, the latter centres on the autonomy of the theatre as a distinctive social, cultural, and political phenomenon of the present day.…”