A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology: The Secret Art of the Performer

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 320 pages
• Published by: Routledge
• Edition: 2nd Edition December 16, 2005
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0415378613
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0415378611
• Book Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 2.5 pounds

Product Review
". . . the entries in the Dictionary are fascinating flashbulbs, shedding light on myriad ways of performing . . . could prove (literally) eye-opening." -- American Theatre

"indispensable for any theatre library. It represents some of the most exciting and widely applicable research in the area of theatre anthropology" -- Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism

. . . the entries in the Dictionary are fascinating flashbulbs, shedding light on myriad ways of performing--breathing in noh, eye movement in kathakali, balance in Indian bharatanatyam . . . For actors grounded in 20th-Century American realism, this plethora of body-based . . . information could prove (literally) eye-opening. Particularly persuasive is Schechners essay on `restoration of behavior.
–American Theatre

this book is indispensable for any theatre library. It represents some of the most exciting and widely applicable research in the area of theatre anthropology, indeed, it may well be the most important book on acting technique since Barba edited Grotowskis Towards a Poor Theatre.
–Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
This the second English language edition of the classic text, A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology subtly juxtaposes the visual demonstrations of the performers craft, from a wealth of Oriental and Occidental sources. Whereas most Western research is concerned with naturalism and psychological realism in acting, the Dictionary focuses on the performer's arduous and eclectic craft.
More than just a dictionary, however, this is a handbook for theatre practitioners and a guide for students and scholars of transcultural performance. It is a result of ten years research conducted by Eugenio Barba and the International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA) based in Denmark. The Dictionary:
*aims to expand our knowledge of the possibilities of the scenic body, and of the spectators response to the dynamics of performance
*includes practical sections on balance, opposition and montage, among other techniques
discusses issues including The Text and the Stage, The Dilated Body, and Energetic Language
*provides over 600 illustrated examples of the performers craft, in black and white and color.

This new edition contains three new chapters - Exercises, Eurasian Theatre and Organic Theatre - and twenty new pictures.

Reader Reviews
This is a great book for actors, dancers, choreographers, directors, teachers and all kinds of performing artists. Its texts reveal a way of perceiving the art of performers in scenic situations considering the physical qualities and possibilities of their bodies, but also of not so obviously visible paradigms such as energy, presence, balance, dilation and so on. Its photographs and illustrations are clearly demonstrative of the topics approached. After studying this book, I can watch performers in action (and in still pictures as well) with a totally new point of view, being able to analyse the subtleties that make their presence/images effective in their communication, artistry and vitality. I am also able to activate the theatre anthropology concepts in my own practice, reaching for new boundaries of self-perception and expressivity.