This book explores the role and centrality of women in the development of collaborative theatre practice, alongside the significance of collective creation and devising in the development of the modern theatre. Tracing a web of women theatremakers in Europe and North America, this book explores the connections between early twentieth century collective theatre practices such as workers theatre and the dramatic play movement, and the subsequent spread of theatrical devising. Chapters investigate the work of the Settlement Houses, total theatre in 1920s' France, the mid-century avant-garde and New Left collectives, the nomadic performances of Europe's transnational theatre troupes, street-theatre protests, and contemporary devising. In so doing, the book further elucidates a history of modern theatre begun in A History of Collective Creation (2013) and Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance (2013), in which the seemingly marginal and disparate practices of collective creation and devising are revealed as central-and women theatremakers revealed as progenitors of these practices.

Collective creation - the practice of collaboratively devising works of performance - rose to prominence not simply as a performance making method, but as an institutional model with profound social, political, and ethical implications. Tracing a lineage from explorations of collective creation in the work of Meyerhold, Stanislavsky, Copeau, St. Denis, Piscator, Reduta, Grotowski, A History of Collective Creation demonstrates that collective creation played a pivotal role in the evolution of the modern theatre. Examining collective and devised theatre practices in Europe and North America, the contributors explore collective creation's roots in the theatrical experiments of the early twentieth century, emerging just after the rise of the modern director.

Seeking to broaden current understanding of collective creation, this edited volume situates its contemporary practice in the tradition which emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century. The contributors trace the aesthetic, social, and political shifts that have marked this mode of theatre making, from mid-century manifestations as a theatrical expression of the New Left to present-day devising practices. With emphasis on Russia, Europe, and North America, Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance examines collective and devised theatre practices internationally and demonstrates the prevalence, breadth, and significance of collective creation in modern times.

This book explores the role and centrality of women in the development of collaborative theatre practice, alongside the significance of collective creation and devising in the development of the modern theatre. Tracing a web of women theatremakers in Europe and North America, this book explores the connections between early twentieth century collective theatre practices such as workers theatre and the dramatic play movement, and the subsequent spread of theatrical devising. Chapters investigate the work of the Settlement Houses, total theatre in 1920s' France, the mid-century avant-garde and New Left collectives, the nomadic performances of Europe's transnational theatre troupes, street-theatre protests, and contemporary devising. In so doing, the book further elucidates a history of modern theatre begun in A History of Collective Creation (2013) and Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance (2013), in which the seemingly marginal and disparate practices of collective creation and devising are revealed as central-and women theatremakers revealed as progenitors of these practices.

This edited volume situates its contemporary practice in the tradition which emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century. Collective Creation in Contemporary Performance examines collective and devised theatre practices internationally and demonstrates the prevalence, breadth, and significance of modern collective creation.

Collective creation - the practice of collaboratively devising works of performance - rose to prominence not simply as a performance making method, but as an institutional model. By examining theatre practices in Europe and North America, this book explores collective creation's roots in the theatrical experiments of the early twentieth century.