Naslov
Interrogative bodies : retro/perspective of new theatre in Croatia

Autori
Blažević, Marin

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
10th Performance Studies International Conference : Perform: State: Interrogate

Mjesto i datum
Singapur, 15.06.2004. - 18.06.2004

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Pozvano predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
new theatre; interrogative body

Sažetak
Half a century ago theatre director and theoretician Branko Gavella made a diagnosis: "destitution of gesture and facial expression" seems to be constituent of "our acting". Gavella found the roots of that deficiency in peculiar cultural and political circumstances. Along with its lasting ally – literature, Croatian theatre has been – ever since its modern revival in the late 19th century – preoccupied with the struggle for the standard Croatian language. Besides, theatre was soon employed by the "developing modern state" as the privileged stage for the (perpetual) "re-education" of its people, as the pulpit whence the Word (of the nation or/and party, its tradition and mission, its Father and Heroes ; its unquestionable world image/order) reaches the most representative sample of the national corpus. Needless to say, when theatre is entrapped by the ideological function of that kind, the only acceptable body is the monolith body, an imprisoned body which serves only to the transmission of the predetermined Wor(l)d and is nothing but a vehicle of - predominantly verbal! – signs. The introductory part of this paper sheds light on the hegemonical theatre practice that was (re)producing the whole range of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes flourishing in the Croatian recent history (unitarism, fascism, communism, nationalism, tudjmanism) by concreting theological stage (Derrida) and stipulating "therapeutic" Realism (Lyotard), as mechanisms that are maintaining and stabilizing hierarchical relationship between elements and disciplined subjects/bodies of the (theatrical, as well as political) representational procedure. Furthermore, which cultural and political changes has the so called second transition brought to the fore (after Tudjman's death and defeat of his party on general elections in 2000): how does the new governing structure perform democracy, particularly in the field of cultural production and performing arts? In the second part of the paper the focus is on the counter-practices that are decided to resist, if not transgress, the aforementioned mechanisms, predominantly embodied in dramatic theatre. The paper will emphasize (dis)representational strategies of the performing body in the new and alternative theatre which has, after the suppresion of neo-avantgarde movement of the seventies, gained ground again in the late eighties. How and why is confrontation being replaced by interrogation as (perhaps) more moderate but also (perhaps) more pro-creative concept/tactics of cultural performing. Can the living/performing body – despite its socioculturally and politically already (in)vested and pre/inscribed corporeality – still expand the fractions and obstruct – or just call into question – the settled course of semiosis in order to open up space/stage for transformation and, dare we say, inovation of sociocultural and political practices, discourses and institutions? The final task of the paper would be to explore the main counter-positions/actions which the body has taken (from raw, iconoclastic, impulsive, fractured, autistic, or thinking, analytical, virtual, queer, to Euro- and Balcan- body) in some recent performances, representative not only in the context of Croatian new theatre.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Znanost o umjetnosti

POVEZANOST RADA