Performance in Place of War

James Thompson, Jenny Hughes, Michael Balfour

 

6 x 9 inches, 392pp, 26 halftones. 2008

ISBN : 9781906497149

Rs  595.00 (HB)
$29.95 (HB)
£17.99 (HB)

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From the Greeks and Shakespeare to the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, war has often been a major theme of dramatic performances. However, many of the most extraordinary theater projects in recent years not only have been about war but also have originated in actual conflict zones themselves. Performance in Place of War is concerned with these initiatives, including theater in refugee camps, in war-ravaged villages, in towns under curfew, and in cities under occupation. It looks at theater and performances that often occur quite literally as bombs are falling, as well as during times of ceasefire and in the aftermath of hostilities.

 

Performance in Place of War draws on extensive original material and includes interviews with artists, short play extracts, and photographs from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kosovo, Israel, Lebanon, Sudan, and others. The authors combine critical commentary, overviews of the conflicts and first-hand accounts in order to consider such questions as: Why in times of disruption have people turned to performance? And what aesthetic, ethical, and political choices are made in these different contexts? Performance in Place of War is a fascinating perspective on the role of theatre in unpredictable, war-torn times. 

James Thompson is Professor of Applied and Social Theatre at the university of Manchester, Director of In Place of War and Director of the Centre for Applied Theatre Research. He has worked as a researcher and practitioner in a number of countries and contexts, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. 

Jenny Hughes is Lecturer in Applied Theatre at the University of Manchester and a Director of the Centre of for Applied Theatre Research. She has published in the areas of applied theatre research and practice, and performance and the 'war on terror'. 

Michael Balfour is professor of Applied Theatre, Griffith University, Australia. His work focuses on theatre in communities, institutions and areas of disadvantage and conflict. He is the author and editor of a number of books and articles related to applied theatre.

 

Enactments
Film Theory
Theatre And Performance Studies