13Global Theatre Today

© Geraint Lewis

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Approaching Global Theatre

• Theatre has a long, illustrious history.

• Non-European theatres were influenced by developments of modern theatre in the west.

• Theatre is influenced by the development of global exchanges in communication.

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India, China, and Japan

• The end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth:– Increasing interchange between Asian and

western theatres– Western theatre had a growing influence on

modern theatres– Traditional theatre continued:

• Kathakali in India• Beijing (Peking) opera in China• Nō and kabuki in Japan

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India

• Disruptions caused change– World War I– Advent of cinema “Bollywood”– World War II

• Amateur theatre emerged

• Street/ guerilla theatre and dance theatre very prevalent

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China

• After the civil war and Mao Zedong’s rise to power:– A return to traditional forms of popular theatre

• During the cultural revolution (began in 1966):– Theatrical activity was restricted– Theatre artists were seen as subversive

• Since the death of Mao:– Traditional forms are

becoming popular again

© Richard Termine

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Japan

• Since the end of World War II:– Theatre has been healthy– Gifted playwrights have

emerged• Kinoshita Junji

• Three main branches of theatre:– Traditional theatre– Shingeki (“new theatre”)– Avant-garde, or experimental,

theatre

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The Middle East

• Theatre is affected by politics of region• Islam has strong prohibitions against theatre• Influence of western dramatic techniques:

– Marun al-Naqqash (Lebanese)

– Abu Khalil al-Qabbani (Syrian)

– Ya’qub Sannu (Jewish-Egyptian)

– Silk road, Golden Thread,– Mixed Blood

© Geraint Lewis

© 2015 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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The Middle East

• Today in certain countries, theatrical activities have been halted due to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

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African Theatres and Drama

• Derived from traditional performances that were connected to ceremonies and rituals

• Involved colorful, exotic, symbolic costumes

• Had anticolonial and antitotalitarian themes

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African Theatres and Drama

• Contemporary African theatre:– English-speaking Africa– French-speaking Africa– Portuguese-speaking Africa

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English-speaking Africa

• Leading theatre artists and playwrights:– Hubert Ogunde– Moses Olaiya Adejumo– Olu Obafemi– S. J. Chifunyise– Ben Shibenke– Thompson Tsodzo– Ngugi wa Thiong’o

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French-speaking Africa

• Leading playwrights:– Cheik Ndao– Bernard Dadié– Sony Labou Tansi– Felix Tchicaya U’Tamsi – Guillaume Oyono-Mbia– Senouvo Zinsou

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Portuguese-speaking Africa

• Best-known works:– The Devil’s Skin by Manuel Santos Lima– Bombo’s Chalk Circle by Henrique Guerra– The Old Man is Untouchable by Costa

Andrade– Shameless by Donald Pereira de Macedo– Plays by Orlando Mendes

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Latin American Theatres

• All Latin American countries have significant theatres and playwrights

• Beginning of twentieth century:– Comedies were popular

• Dealt with unique local customs of each nation• Influenced by European styles of surrealism and

expressionism

• Following World War II:– Focus on unique national issues and concerns

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Latin American Theatres

• Latin American dramatists:– Elena Garro (Mexico)– Alejandro Sieveking (Chile)– Guillermo Maldonado (Columbia)– Mario Vargas Llosa

(Peru)– Plinio Marcos

(Brazil)

Kitra Cahana/TheNew York Times/Redux

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Latin American Theatres

• Augusto Boal (Brazil)– Playwright, director, and theorist– Wrote:

• Theatre of the Oppressed• Games for Actors and Non-Actors• The Rainbow of Desire

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Europe and Great Britain

• European and British national theatres– Receive subsidies from government– Prestige from being considered “national”– Examples:

• Comédie Française (France)• National Theatre (Britain)• Royal Shakespeare Company (Britain)

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Europe and Great Britain

• European directors:– Peter Brook (England)– Peter Stein (Germany)– Lyudmila Petrushevskaya (Russia)– Tadeusz Kantor (Poland)– Ariane Mnouchkine (France)

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Europe and Great Britain

• German dramatists:– Peter Handke– Heiner Müller

• Italian Dramatists– Dario Fo

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Europe and Great Britain

• British playwrights:– Tom Stoppard (The Coast of Utopia)– Patrick Marber (Dealer’s Choice, Closer)– Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem)– Sarah Kane (Blasted, Cleansed, Crave)– Caryl Churchill (Cloud Nine, Serious Money)

• Irish playwrights:– Martin McDonagh (The Beauty Queen of Leenane,

The Cripple of Inishmaan, etc.)– Conor McPherson (St. Nicholas, The Weir, Dublin

Carol)

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Canada and Australia Since WWII

• Both countries’ theatres developed commercially

• Presented popular entertainment that also reflected national identity

• Developed “little theatres”– Presented noncommercial, often politically

charged works