Art Theater - (New Directions in Aesthetics) by James R Hamilton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The Art of Theater argues for the recognition of theatrical performance as an art form independent of dramatic writing.

• Identifies the elements that make a performance a work of art
• Looks at the competing views of the text-performance relationships
• An important and original contribution to the aesthetics and philosophy of theater

From the Back Cover

Are theatrical performances merely interpretations of works of dramatic literature? Theatrical performances change according to a number of influences, from audience and cast, to time and place. Our actual experiences in viewing theatrical performances reflect this truth: we understand that when we see a play, we are seeing a particular director and cast's vision and artistry. The Art of Theater argues that performance is, and has always been, an art form in its own right, distinct from the literary texts that it uses. It is an affirmation of how we actually encounter theater, and James R. Hamilton gives us the tools to identify the fundamental elements that are needed to grasp the independence of theatrical performance.

Examining the competing views of text-performance and performer-audience relationships, The Art of Theater applies a philosophical approach to the understanding, interpretation, and appreciation of theatrical art.

Review Quotes

"Hamilton's clarity of style and focused argument make his study an engaging change from the predominance of continental thought in many texts on contemporary theatre and performance. ... The Art of Theater returns us to basic questions where they seem most certain: like any good work of philosophy, it shows how the apparently obvious came to be the case." (Theatre Research International, March 2009)

"Hamilton's book has many merits. He has written a timely book that would repay close study by any philosopher interested in performance in general and theater in particular." (The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism)

"Hamilton presents a bold new thesis in his first book: theatrical performances are an independent form of art. Hamilton presents meticulous arguments both for the independence of performance as an art form and its status as art. This is a compelling book. Recommended." (CHOICE)

About the Author

James R. Hamilton is a member of the Philosophy Department at Kansas State University. His research is in aesthetics, focusing on theater. He has published articles in the British Journal of Aesthetics, the Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, and the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, has entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Aesthetics and the Routledge Companion to Aesthetics, and has received NEH and Big XII Fellowships.