Authoring Performance - (What Is Theatre?) by A Sidiropoulou (Paperback)

About the Book

"Provides a comparative approach to the internationally wide-spread phenomenon of the contemporary director-auteur in the theatre, urging a historical and theoretical exploration of the visions, methods, and stage idioms in the work of established artists. Sidiropoulou examines prominent examples of both older and more recent director-auteur work, aiming at re-asserting - to its artistic and academic audience - the value of balancing the established emphasis on the diegetic aspects of theatre with the ever-spreading varieties of dramatic de-"centering" and "dis-semination." This exciting work also poses questions of authorship, which necessarily imply the redefinition of the relationship between "playwright" and the director-playwright"--

Book Synopsis

A historical, theoretical, and comparative study of the emergence of the director-as-author phenomenon, posing questions of authorship and redefining the relationship between 'playwright' and the director-playwright.

Review Quotes

"A fresh perspective on the impact of Jarry, Craig, Appia, Wagner, and Stein, among others, on present praxis. . . Part of Palgrave Macmillan's 'What Is Theatre?' series, this book is a must read for those interested in both a theoretical and 'practice-related context in which to examine and evaluate' the contemporary theater director-auteur. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals." - CHOICE

"The writing is fast paced and engaging. In its brevity, but also by the frequent recasting of the key arguments in fresh language, Sidiropoulou instructs even as she delights. This work should go a long way toward re-opening the American student mind." - Stavros Deligiorgis, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature, University of Iowa, USA

About the Author

Avra Sidiropoulou is Lecturer at the graduate Theatre Studies program of the Open University of Cyprus.