New Sites For Shakespeare : Theatre, the Audience, and Asia

In the course of exploring the theatrical cultures of South and East Asia, eminent Shakespeareanist John Russell Brown developed some remarkable theories about the nature of performance, the state of Western 'Theatre' today, and the future potential of Shakespeare's plays. In New Sites for Shakespeare he outlines his passionate belief in the power of theatre to reach mass audiences, based on his experiences of popular Asian performances. It is a personal polemic, but it is also a carefully argued and brilliantly persuasive study of the kind of theatrical experience Shakespeare's own contemporaries enjoyed. This is a book which cannot be ignored by anyone who cares about the live performing arts today. Separate chapters consider staging, acting, improvisation, ceremonies and ritual, and an analysis of the experience of the audience is paramount throughout. New Sites for Shakespeare argues that an audience's understanding of Shakespeare is limited by the kinds of theatre it has seen. On repeated visits to Asia John Russell Brown sought out forms of performances which were new to him, and found that he gained a fresh and exciting view of the theatre for which Shakespeare wrote. New Sites for Shakespeare share these extraordinary journeys of discoveries. In this fascinating and very illuminating study, Russell Brown gives close attention to particular theatre productions and performances in Japan, Korea, China, Bali and especially India. The book is divided into separate chapters which consider staging, acting, improvisation, ceremonies and ritual. The reaction of audiences and their interaction with actors are shown to be crucial factors in these theatrical experiences. Bringing to bear his background as theatre director, critic and scholar, the author considers current productions in Europe and north America, in the light of his insights into Asian theatre. Ultimately this book calls for radical change in how we stage, study and read Shakespeare's plays today. John Russell Brown Outlines His Passionate Belief In The Power Of Theatre To Reach Mass Audiences Based On His Experiences Of Popular Asian Performances. His Argument Is In Favour Of The Kind Of Audience-experience People Felt In Shakespeare's Day. Pt. I. Visiting. 1. Open Stages: Presence And Occasion. 2. Audiences: On Stage And Off Stage. 3. Ritual: Action And Meaning. 4. Ceremony: Behaviour And Reception. 5. Performance: Imagination And Involvement. 6. Improvisation: Freedom And Collusion. 7. Response: Actors And Audiences. 8. Settings: Actors And Stages -- Pt. Ii. Returning. 9. Criticism: Texts And Study. 10. Control: Directors And Companies. 11. Scenography: Theatres And Design. 12. Actors: Training And Performance. John Russell Brown. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 200-205) And Index. Preliminaries......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 6 List of Plates......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1 Open Stages: presence and occasion......Page 18 2 Audiences: on stage and off stage......Page 40 3 Ritual: action and meaning......Page 54 4 Ceremony: behaviour and reception......Page 64 5 Performance: imagination and involvement......Page 82 6 Improvisation: freedom and collusion......Page 102 7 Response: actors and audiences......Page 114 8 Settings: actors and stages 121......Page 132 9 Criticism: texts and study......Page 148 10 Control: directors and companies......Page 155 11 Scenography: theatres and design......Page 173 12 Actors: training and performance......Page 184 Forward prospect......Page 201 Notes......Page 211 Index......Page 217 In his latest book, the author considers current Shakespearian productions in Europe and America, in the light of his insights into Asian theatre, arguing that our understanding of Shakespeare is limited by the kinds of theatre we have seen