Abstract
In contemporary Western theatre and actor’s training, there is a tension between different traditions in the actor’s work, concerning the bodily practices that are related to representation, construction of identities, authenticity and self-expression. One aspect of the actor’s methodical tradition – the openness to suffering and sacrificing oneself in the name of the arts – will be displayed and scrutinized through examples from ancient theatre, European avant-garde, and the Method acting tradition. I will argue that this aspect is aimed at exposing the artist as a unique original, and in this way also serves the commodification of the artist’s self-presentation. In contrast to the abovementioned moods of representation, 20th century artists and philosophers like Bertolt Brecht and Walter Benjamin practi- cally and theoretically challenge concepts such as originality, authenticity and artists’ self-representation. They instead investigate the creative and political potential in phenomena like quoting and copying, and above all a playful and critical role-taking process, not based on self-expression. I will finally argue that Brecht’s stance is in accordance with a non-essen- tialist view of humans and that his views are in line with certain tendencies in the post-dramatic tradition.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 7–26 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Arte Acta |
Issue number | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 2021 Mar 25 |
Event | Bertolt Brecht – Contradictions as Method - DAMU, Prague, Czech Republic Duration: 2019 Nov 8 → 2019 Nov 10 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Performing Art Studies
Artistic work
- Text
Keywords
- Bertolt Brecht
- Walter Benjamin
- Acting
- Actor's training
- Representation
- Identity politics
- Acting Methods
- Original
- Copying