In this ground-breaking collection of critical essays, 15 writers explore the experimental, interdisciplinary and radically transgressive field of contemporary live art in South Africa.

Set against a contemporary South African society that is chronologically `post' apartheid, but one that continues to grapple with material redress, land redistribution and systemic racism, Acts of Transgression finds a representation of the complexity of this moment within the rich potential of a performative art form that transcends disciplinary boundaries and aesthetic conventions. The collection probes live art's intersection with crisis and socio-political turbulence, shifting notions of identity and belonging, embodied trauma and loss, questions of archive, memory and the troubling of colonial systems of knowing,

an interrogation of narratives of the past and visions for the future.These diverse essays, analysing the work of more than 25 contemporary South African artists and accompanied by a striking visual record of more than 50 photographs, represent the first major critical study of contemporary live art in South Africa; a study that is as timeous as it is imperative.

Hoewel hy algemeen bekend is as die Afrikaner-Kommunis wat vir Nelson Mandela van die galg gered het, is bitter min bekend oor Bram Fischer die man. Fischer was 'n gerespekteerde senior advokaat by die Johannesburgse Balie, wat gekies het om hom by die onderdruktes te skaar en wat ondergronds gegaan het om by die gewapende stryd aan te sluit. Hy is op 5 November 1965 in hegtenis geneem nadat hy vir bykans tien maande op vlug was. "Ek is dit verskuldig aan politieke gevangenes, aan die uitgewekenes, aan die wat stilgemaak is en diegene onder huisarres om nie 'n toeskouer te bly nie, maar op te tree." Na Bram Fischer die woorde uit sy verklaring voorgelees het, wat hy in die beskuldigdebank tydens sy hoogverraadverhoor gelewer het, is hy lewenslange tronkstraf opgele. As afstammeling van 'n trotse Afrikanerfamilie, wat 'n eerste minister en 'n regterpresident van die Oranje-Vrystaat ingesluit het, was hy 'n onwaarskynlike held van die bevrydingstryd. Fischer was beginselvas ten opsigte van sy politieke oortuiginge en aangevuur deur sy onwrikbare integriteit en sy verbintenis tot die droom van 'n nie-rassige demokrasie, maar ook 'n humoristiese, opgewekte mens en 'n toegewyde gesinsman vir sy vrou en kinders. Die vele fasette van die merkwaardige man word weerspieel in Die Bram Fischer Wals, Harry Kalmer se liriese huldeblyk. Die bondige, maar kragtige solostuk, met die protagonis as die verteller, neem die gehoor op 'n emosionele reis soos Fischer se verhaal ontvou. Die opvoering het in 2013 'n silwer Standard Bank Ovation-prys gewen met die premiere van die Engelse weergawe by die Nasionale Kunstefees in Grahamstad. Dit is in 2014 bekroon met die Adelaide Tambo-prys vir menseregte in die kunste. Die teks word aangevul met 'n voorwoord deur adv. George Bizos, 'n inleiding deur die dramaturg waarin hy vertel oor die pad wat daartoe gelei het dat hy die drama geskryf het en 'n nawoord deur Yvonne Malan, getiteld "Die krag van morele moed".

From Aristophanes to Zeffirelli, from Gerard Depardieu to Mae West, in Break a Leg! Michele Brown has assembled a world-beating cast, including actors, dramatists, directors and even critics (`A man who knows the way but cannot drive the car.' Kenneth Tynan). She draws on plays, books, newspapers and table-talk and her collection of wise and witty lines includes the familiar and the completely unexpected. This is a work where Sarah Bernhardt is playing opposite Kenneth Branagh. Orson Welles is sharing the limelight with Samuel Beckett, Aphra Behn and Noel Coward, and the themes range from stage fright to star quality.

Die trauma van die "has been" ontsnap niemand nie. Die liggaam bly die gewildste prooi van tyd. Vir die hoogste bome wat die meeste wind vang, is dit dikwels pynliker en hierdie mense se opstand daarteen is pateties en vernederend. In Jasmyn word ’n vervalle ou skoonheidsikoon, Beulah, genadeloos belig vanuit ’n ongewone invalshoek: as prooi en as begenadigde. Die verstand wat in haar vervalle liggaam gehuisves word, is egter nog naaldskerp. ’n Onverwagte erflating deur ’n eertydse miljarderminnaar word die hoogtepunt en afloop van die drama. Beulah erf R40 miljoen, mits sy ’n minnaar werf wat ten minste 20 jaar haar junior is, ’n verjongingsprogram voltooi met riglyne rakende dieet, plastiese chirurgie, sielkundige berading, hormoonmanipulasie en nuut geskepte ikoonstatus. Laasgenoemde word moontlik gemaak deurdat die oorlede minnaar geld nalaat om ’n nuwe skoonheidseep, Beulah Jasmine, internasionaal vry te stel.

The perfect gift for any theatre lover There has been always as much drama offstage as on at the National Theatre, and much of it is to be found in the letters, telegrams, scribbled notes and colourful postcards of its main players. - What drove Laurence Olivier to confess: 'The foolishness of my position starts to obsess me'? - Why did Maggie Smith write: 'I am absolutely heartbroken by your decision'? - What prompted Judi Dench to ask: 'Can't you write me a musical so that I can sit on a chair in a fur hat & nothing else and sing RUDE songs?' This book brings together for the first time some of the most inspiring, dramatic and amusing letters from the life of Britain's most beloved theatre: Laurence Olivier's gracious rejection letters, Peter Hall's combative memos, Helen Mirren's impassioned defence of theatrical innovation, fantastical good luck missives and long conspiratorial letters. Together, they reveal the stories behind some of the most lavish, triumphant, daring and disastrous productions in the theatre's history, including Amadeus, Romans in Britain, Laurence Olivier's Othello, Closer, The History Boys and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. A rich collection of correspondence like no other, this book offers a fascinating and celebratory look at the world of theatre and beyond.

'I admire the freshness and attack of her writing, the passion and curiosity that light up the page. The book does something very important - it makes you impatient to see or re-read the plays at once' Hilary Mantel A genius and prophet whose timeless works encapsulate the human condition like no others. A writer who surpassed his contemporaries in vision, originality and literary mastery. Who wrote like an angel, putting it all so much better than anyone else. Is this Shakespeare? Well, sort of. But it doesn't really tell us the whole truth. So much of what we say about Shakespeare is either not true, or just not relevant, deflecting us from investigating the challenges of his inconsistencies and flaws. This electrifying new book thrives on revealing, not resolving, the ambiguities of Shakespeare's plays and their changing topicality. It introduces an intellectually, theatrically and ethically exciting writer who engages with intersectionality as much as with Ovid, with economics as much as poetry: who writes in strikingly modern ways about individual agency, privacy, politics, celebrity and sex. It takes us into a world of politicking and copy-catting, as we watch him emulating the blockbusters of Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd, the Spielberg and Tarantino of their day; flirting with and skirting round the cut-throat issues of succession politics, religious upheaval and technological change. The Shakespeare in this book poses awkward questions rather than offering bland answers, always implicating us in working out what it might mean. This is Shakespeare. And he needs your attention.

Based on the series of Clark Lectures for Trinity College, Cambridge in January 2000, the author of this book explores the language of theatre and drama.

War Horse is the most successful show in the National Theatre's history. After two seasons at the NT it transferred to London's West End and it was here that William Rycroft joined the company for what he thought would be six months. Four and a half years later he took his final bow having seen the show become a global smash-hit, spawning productions on Broadway, in Australia, China and other countries as it toured the world. Royal visits, glamorous guests, a Hollywood film adaptation from Steven Spielberg and a live broadcast to millions across the globe all followed too. Amidst all this, a company of over 30 actors trooped out on stage each night, 8 shows a week, in front of a thousand people and told that story as if it was the first time. What does it feel like to perform in front of the Queen? Or Steven Spielberg? Or your celebrity crush? How do you keep sane performing the same show night after for night, more than 1,700 times? What do you learn about yourself as an actor in such a demanding show? What do you learn about yourself as a person on something so all-consuming? This behind-the-scenes look at a theatrical phenomenon tells us plenty about theatre but just as much about friendship, family and working together. Those that saw the show may be surprised to discover some of the antics that went on whilst they watched. Those that didn't will learn that there are seven different ways to cry, why actors need to play, and how it feels to be in a play about the First World War for longer than the actual war itself! Is it weird to watch Benedict Cumberbatch say your lines on the silver screen? Do you still get nervous after so long? How do you move on after such a unique experience? Step backstage for a unique view on the story of a boy and his horse during the Great War.

Actor. Director. Activist. Sam Wanamaker is best known as the man who spent the last twenty five years of his life reconstructing Shakespeare's Globe near its original site just south of the Thames in London. Tragically, he died four years before its Gala Opening in 1997. Born in the USA, he began his acting career in travelling shows before moving on to Broadway. A vocal left wing activist, Wanamaker moved to the UK, fearful of being blacklisted during the McCarthy witch hunts of the early 1950s. Having crossed the Atlantic, he carved a successful and varied career as both actor and director, but continued to be outspoken on a variety of topics, including racial discrimination in the theatre. With his staunch sense of purpose, he made as many enemies as friends: charismatic and persuasive, he was also stubborn and domineering. But it was these very qualities that made his lasting legacy, Shakespeare's Globe, a reality, despite many battles. The fascinating life of Sam Wanamaker is explored for the first time in this biography by Diana Devlin, who worked closely with him for his last twenty years.

While award-winning author Rudolfo Anaya is known primarily as a novelist, his genius is also evident in dramatic works performed regularly in his native New Mexico and throughout the world. "Billy the Kid and Other Plays" collects seven of these works and offers them together for the first time. Like his novels, many of Anaya's plays are built from the folklore of the Southwest. This volume opens with "The Season of La Llorona," in which Anaya fuses the Mexican legend of the dreaded "crying woman" with that of La Malinche, mistress and adviser to Hernan Cortes. Southwestern lore also shapes the title play, which provides a Mexican American perspective on the Kid--or Bilito, as he is known inNew Mexico--along with keen insight into the slipperiness of history. "The Farolitos of Christmas" and "Matachines" uncover both the sweet and the sinister in stories behind seasonal New Mexican rituals. Other plays here address loss of the old ways--farming, connection to the land, the primacy of family--while showing the power of change. The mystery "Who Killed Don Jose?" uses the murder of a wealthy sheep rancher to look at political corruption and modernization. "Ay, Compadre " and "Angie" address aging and death, though with refreshing humor and optimism. Elegant and poetic, intense and funny, these are the plays Anaya considers his best. The author tells how each originated, while Cecilia J. Aragon and Robert Con Davis- Undiano offer critical analysis and performance history. Both Anaya fans and readers new to his work will find this collection a rich trove, as will community theaters and scholars in Chicano literature and drama.

Augusto Boal saw theatre as a mirror to the world, one that we can reach into to change our reality. This book, The Theatre of the Oppressed, is the foundation to 'Forum Theatre', a popular radical form practised across the world. Boal's techniques allowed the people to reclaim theatre, providing forums through which they could imagine and enact social and political change. Rejecting the Aristotelian ethic, which he believed allowed the State to remain unchallenged, he broke down the wall between actors and audience, the two sides coming together, the audience becoming the 'spect-actors'. Written in 1973, while in exile from the Brazilian government after the military coup-d'etat, this is a work of subversion and liberation, which shows that only the oppressed are able to free themselves.

Many of the themes of Aeschylus' Suppliants - the treatment of refugees, forced marriage, ethnic and cultural clashes, decisions on war and peace, political deception - resonate strongly in the world of today. The play was, however, for many years neglected in comparison to Aeschylus' other works, probably in part because it was wrongly believed to be very early and hence 'primitive', and this edition, aimed primarily at advanced undergraduates and graduate students, is the first since 1889 to offer an accessible English commentary based on the Greek text. This provides particular help with the peculiarities of tragic, especially Aeschylean, Greek. An extensive introduction discusses the Danaid myth and its many variations, the four-play production (tetralogy) of which Suppliants formed part, the underlying social and religious issues and presuppositions, the conditions of performance, and the place of Suppliants in Aeschylus' work, among other topics.

'Pattern is as crucial to Beckett's eye as to his ear', writes Gontarski, 'and that patterning dominates his theatrical notes: motion is repeated to echo other motion, posture to echo other posture, gestures to echo other gestures, sounds to echo other sounds. The principle of analogy is fundamental.'

Samuel Beckett directed two separate productions of Endgame, once with the Schiller Theater Company in Berlin in 1967, and again with the San Quentin Drama Workshop in 1980. For both productions he prepared detailed notes that are reproduced here in facsimile for the first time.

Beckett's revisions for both his productions maintain a consistency - with minor variations to allow for strengths or weaknesses of particular actors - that make a 'corrected' (Beckett's word) text not only possible but desirable, a reflection of the substantial amount of thinking and theatrical testing the work has undergone since its publication. No previous edition - English, French or German - includes the complete production-generated changes. This text was approved by Samuel Beckett.

'What can I do with a degree in theater?' Whether you want to perform Shakespeare under the spotlight, design lighting for TV spots, or teach set design to college students, a theater degree offers a medley of career options. With all the flexibility the field offers, the challenge is to find a focus that fits your personality and preferences. "Great Jobs for Theater Majors" helps you do just that. Designed to help you put your major to work, this handy guide covers both the basics of a job search as well as detailed profiles of possible careers in your field. From stage or film actor to lighting professional to costume designer, you'll explore a variety of job options for theater majors - including many you never knew existed - to determine the best fit for your personal, professional, and practical needs.In this updated edition, you'll find: thorough explanations of job-search basics such as crafting resumes, writing cover letters, and interviewing dos and don'ts; revealing self-assessments to help determine your best professional fit; investigative tools to help you uncover those jobs that will make the most of your major; networking tips to get your face out in the field and your foot in the door before the resume is even sent; true-life tales from practicing professionals who detail what daily life on the job is really like; up-to-date statistics on earnings, advancement, and the overall career outlook, along with regional salary comparisons; and, resources for further information, including journals, professional associations, and online resources. With the information and inspiration packed into "Great Jobs for Theater Majors", you'll discover how to explore your professional options, target your ideal career, and use your college major as an asset in landing your dream job.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's magical late play. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Cymbeline in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors - Dominic Cooke and Emma Rice - providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare's career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

The selected plays show the extraordinary variety of Irish drama today as well as the brilliance of Irish playwrights, both seasoned veterans and those beginning to build reputations on the stages of the world's premier national theatre, The Abbey. The first play by award-winning playwright Michael Harding, ""Sour Grapes"", explores the taboos of seminary life including paedophilia and homosexuality. Thomas Kilroy's ""The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde"" tells the historical drama of the marriage of Constance to Oscar Wilde and recounts the tragedy that was her marriage and life. Interlocking lives of a varied group of eight morally adrift young Dublin women and men, Alex Johnston's dramatic comedy ""Melonfarmer"" illuminates the difficulty of human communication in a fast-paced urban society. ""By the Bog of Cats"" by Marina Carr completes the volume in an intense, poetic tragedy of brutal Irish rural-Midlands life in which money and land outweigh all other values.

"A master at engaging students in the process of performing a Shakespeare
scene."--Janet Field-Pickering, head of education, Folger Shakespeare Library

"The Merchant of Venice: The 30-Minute Shakespeare" features eight scenes from this gripping classic: Shylock loans Antonio money, with the forfeit being a pound of Antonio's flesh. Comedic mayhem ensues as two foreign princes attempt to win Portia's hand. The climax is the courtroom scene where Portia, disguised as a lawyer, subjects Shylock to his harsh penalty. The drama concludes with reconciliations that land us firmly back in comic territory.

The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin, containing helpful advice on presenting Shakespeare in a high school setting with novice actors, as well as an appendix with play-specific suggestions and recommendations for further resources.

"A truly fun, emotional, and sometimes magical first experience . . . guided by a sagacious, knowledgeable, and intuitive educator."--"Library Journal"

"The Taming of the Shrew: The 30-Minute Shakespeare" offers eight scenes from this broad comedy. Opening with Petruchio and Kate's bawdy war of words, the drama continues with Bianca's courtship by Lucentio and Hortensio, disguised as pedants. The adaptation climaxes with the outlandish marriage scene, and Petruchio's relentless "taming" of Kate. The play ends with Kate's famous speech in praise of women's submission to their husbands, at once hilarious and provocative.

The edition includes a preface by Nick Newlin, containing helpful advice on presenting Shakespeare in a high school setting with novice actors, as well as an appendix with play-specific suggestions and recommendations for further resources.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is one of the most celebrated stage productions of the past decade. Opening in London’s West End in 2016, on Broadway in 2018 and in Melbourne in 2019 – and with more productions worldwide still to come (including San Francisco later this year) – the play has smashed records, collected countless rave reviews and awards, and captivated audiences night after night.

Now readers are invited behind the scenes to experience the show’s journey to the stage – from the earliest phases of development with producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, to the crafting of the eighth Harry Potter story with J.K. Rowling, director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne, and to the gathering of an extraordinary team of artists and actors together to bring this new part of Harry’s story to life.

With stunning photography, insightful interviews and never-before-seen sketches, notes, candid backstage photos and more, this full-colour deluxe edition offers readers unparalleled access to this unique production, and is a beautiful gift for Harry Potter fans and theatre-lovers alike.

Our revision resources are the smart choice for those revising for the external assessment for the Performing Arts BTEC Tech Award. This book will help you to: Revise all the essential content and key skills Organise your revision with the one-topic-per-page format Speed up your revision with the helpful hints on how to tackle questions and tasks Track your revision progress with at-a-glance check boxes Check your understanding with annotated example responses Practise with revision questions and answers.