Russian Futurist Theatre
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A study of a key modernist form, its theory, practice and legacy
What do we know today about the theatrical ferment caused by the scandalous group of Russian writers, artists, musicians and theatre makers who called themselves ‘Futurists’? What can we learn from their iconoclastic and exciting theatre works?
Underpinned by theoretical writings, manifestoes and demonstrations, Russian Futurist Theatre explores one of the most brilliant but least documented theatre explosions of the last 100 years. It is the first book to comprehensively uncover the Russian futurist theatre in all its virtuosity and diversity. Revealing a wealth of extraordinary theatre work and a barely-known group of theatre practitioners the book finds new ways to explore the interface between literature, theory and performance.
Key Features
Explores the development of post-Romantic epic theatre and the exploration of abstract and alogical performanceDiscusses major practitioners’ working methods as well as obscure practitioners related to major figures like Vsevolod MeyerholdAnalyses how Futurist theatre was strangled by Stalinism and ‘disappeared’Explores the influence of Russian Futurist theatre on significant contemporary theatre practice
Robert Leach is an independent scholar. From 2005-2008 he was Head of Drama in the School of Media and Performing Arts at the University of Cumbria. He is the author of Partners of the Imagination: the Lives, Art and Struggles of John Arden and Margaretta D’Arcy (Indigo Dreams Publishing, 2012), Theatre Workshop: Joan Littlewood and the Making of Modern British Theatre (Exeter University Press, 2006; shortlisted for Theatre Book of the Year), Stanislavsky and Meyerhold (Peter Lang AG, 2003), A History of Russian Theatre (Cambridge University Press, 1999 (contributing editor, with Victor Borovsky), Revolutionary Theatre (Routledge, 1994), Vsevolod Meyerhold (Cambridge University Press, 1989), The Punch and Judy Show: History, Tradition and Meaning (Batsford, 1985). He has also written two successful textbooks, Theatre Studies: the Basics (Routledge, 2008; 2nd edition, 2013) and Makers of Modern Theatre (Routledge, 2004).