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THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AND THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE: The Living Tradition of ... PDF

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i THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AND THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE: The Living Tradition of the Commedia dell' Arte in Theatre for Young Audiences, with Specific Reference to Selected Original Texts and Performances. PIETER J.H. SCHOLTZ A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES, UNIVERSITY OF NATAL, DURBAN, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DURBAN, NOVEMBER 1992. 11 ABSTRACT: THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AND THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE: The Living Tradition of the Commedia dell' Arte in Theatre for Young Audiences, with Specific Reference to Selected Original Texts and Performances. The thesis affIrms the relevan~e of "Theatre for Young Audiences" as a valid and distinctive genre; a performance genre that should entertain, educate and provide meaning in terms of its creative interaction with personal, social, artistic and cultural issues. The practice of playwrighting is removed from the assumption that it relies exclusively on inspiration, intuition and spontaneity; it is placed within a creative, experiential and discursive mode in which dramatic, theatrical, performance and structural issues can be researched, analysed and evaluated culminating in the crafting, making and presentation of innovative and challenging theatre. The research component of the thesis attempts to identify the social and moral responsibility of the playwright writing for young audiences. It is asserted that knowledge about the maturation of young people is crucial in the creative processes of writing plays and making theatre. The second chapter in Part One of the thesis, asserts that knowledge about the physical, emotional and intellectual maturation of th.e intended audience should clearly impact on the delineation of plot, action, 111 character, language, audience participation, ethics and morality. The thesis clearly identifies the importance of this knowledge for the Arts Educator. However, "Theatre for Young Audiences" does not function solely in the realm of education. The thesis distinguishes this genre from those of "Theatre-in- Education" and " Drama-in-Education " . The thesis firmly supports this distinction and affirms the status of "Theatre for Young Audiences" as a performing art. This argument is given further credence by the creative interaction of original scripts with the "living tradition" of the Commedia dell' Arte. The Commedia dell' Arte is examined from an historical perspective; pertinent features are addressed, selected, utilised and transformed into a dynamic theatrical experience for young audiences in contemporary South Africa. The Commedia dell' Arte serves as a theatrical model and becomes a creative device for further and renewed innovation. The inclusion of three original plays in Appendices 1, 2 and 3, plus numerous references to selected, original texts and performances provide an illustration of the concept that playwrighting for young people can effectively and imaginatively transpose theoretical inquiry into imaginative and challenging theatre experience. The thesis attempts to utilise a clear conceptual basis for the development of argument - the educational and psychological perspectives provide a foundation for ideas and critical writing. The theatre heritage becomes a catalyst for innovative and pertinent theatre that affirms the status, purpose and nature of "Theatre for Young Audiences" in contemporary South Africa. iv " DECLARATION I declare that this is my own, unaided work. It is being submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Natal, Durban. It has not been submitted previously for any degree or for any examination in any other University. v TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES INTRODUCTION 1. CHAPTER 1 THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AS A DISTINCTIVE GENRE. 7. 1. THE ACTOR AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP 9. 2. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION 12. 2.1. Spontaneous Participation. 16. 2.2. Musical Participation. 17. 2.3. Directed Participation. 23. 3. FANTASY 28. 3.1. Animal Fantasy. 30. 3.2. Toys and Dolls Personified. 33. 3.3. Extraordinary Worlds. 34. 3.4. Magical Powers. 37. 3.5. Myths and Legends. 42. 4. QUESTS AND ADVENTURES. 46. 5. THE DESIGN CONCEPT. 49. 6. LANGUAGE AND EXPRESSION. 56. 7. CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERISATION. 59. 8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 61. Vl CHAPTER TWO: YOUNG AUDIENCES: STAGES IN THE 64. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE. DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES. 68 AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS. 73 AGE-GROUP PROFILES IN YOUNG AUDIENCES. 75 1. FOUR- AND FIVE-YEAR-OLDS (PRE-PRIMARY) 1.1. Cognitive Development. 77 1.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 79 1.3. Emotional Development. 80 1.4. !?evelopment of Moral and 81 Ethical Systems. 2. THE AUDIENCE OF SIX-, SEVEN-, AND EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS. 2.1. Cognitive Development. 83 2.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 86 2.3. Emotional Development. 88 2.4. Development of Moral and 91 Ethical Systems. 3. THE AUDIENCE OF NINE-, TEN-, ELEVEN- 92 AND TWELV E-YEAR-OLDS 3.1. Cognitive Development. 93 3.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 95 3.3. Emotional development. 95 3.4. Development of Moral and 98 Ethical Systems. 4. THE AUDIENCE OF YOUNG TEENAGERS 101 4.1. Cognitive Development. 101 4.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 102 4.3. Emotional Development 103 4.4. Development of Moral and 104 ~thical Systems. HUMOUR 105 vii PART TWO THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE INTRODUCTION 114 ",' CHAPTER 1. THE CHARACTERS OF THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE 119 Arlecchino (Harlequin) 122 Pantlione(Pantlioon) 125 The Women of the Commedia dell' Arte 127 Colombina (Columbine) 128 La Ruffiana (La Guaiassa) 130 CHAPTER 2. THE LAZZI (THE COMIC ROUTINES OF THE 134 COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE). 2.1. Acrobatic and Mimic Lazzi. 139 2.2. Comic Violence/Sadistic Behaviour Lazzi. 142 2.3. Food Lazzi. 148 2.4. Illogical Lazzi. 150 2.5. Stage Properties as Lazzi. 152 2.6. Sexual/Scatological Lazzi. 155 2.7. Social-Class Rebellion Lazzi. 156 2.8. Stage/Life Duality Lazzi. 157 2.9. Transformation Lazzi. 160 2.1D.The Lazzi of Stupidity or 162 Inappropriate Behaviour. 2.11. Trickery Lazzi. 164 2.12. Word-~lay Lazzi. 166 LAZZI AND THE USE OF MIME AND MOVEMENT 167 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 169 viii APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE THE PUPPET A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz (Recommended age 6 years and over) APPENDIX 2 SAMANTHA SEAL A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz (Recommended age 6 years and over) APPENDIX 3 THE TRIALS OF KEENO A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz (Recommended age 13 years and over) APPENDIX 4 PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS (All plays written and directed by Pieter Scholtz) i) THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE THE PUPPET ii) SAMANTHA SEAL iii) THE TRIALS OF KEENO iv) THE LA-DI-DA HADEDA v) THE ASTOUNDING ANTICS OF ANTHONY ANT vi) PRUNEllA PENGUIN vii) DINAH THE DINOSAUR viii) THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE '" THE PUPPET BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 PART ONE THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES INTRODUCTION A study of tP documented history of Theatre for Young Audiences in South Africa, reveals a lack of clarity and defmition both in respect of terminology and concept. Frequently the term "Children's Theatre" is used to describe a variety of theatrical activities for young people including Puppet Theatre, productions of Shakespeare's plays for school audiences, ballet and educational theatre and drama. Peter Slade, who has been responsible for pioneering work in the field of "Child Drama" in England, asserts that many different concepts are frequently grouped under the one heading of "Children's Theatre": 1. Children acting to children, in the proscenium form. 2. Children acting to adults, in the proscenium form. 3. Adults performing plays for children: a) Big plays, big productions, in large theatres to large numbers - acting at them. b) Small plays, small productions, in small rooms - amongst and with children, not at them. 4. Children acting in "productions" in the arena form, watched by large or small audiences. 1 IPeter Slade, CHILD DRAMA, University of London Press Ltd. Fifth impression 1965, p. 265 ' 2 The term "Children's Theatre" is also used in a variety of academic, literary and bibliographic contexts, as a non-specific term embracing the general field of theatre as applied to children. However, in any study of this genre, where exactness of meaning is necessary, more specific terms with clearly defined parameters are essential. In 1956 a special committee of what was then called the Children's Theatre Conference of the American Educational Theatre Association, published "Drama With and For Children: An Interpretation of Terms"2 Further committees were appointed by the Children's Theatre Association of America in 1976 and 1977 to produce a comprehensive statement on terminology. The essence of the two committee reports is reflected in the following clearly defmed terms :hich will be applied in this thesis: THEATRE FOR CHILDREN "Theatre for Children" indicates theatrical events specifically designed to be performed for young persons typically of elementary [primary and junior] school age, 5 to 12. THEATRE FOR YOUTH "Theatre for youth", indicates theatrical events specifically designed to be performed for young persons typically of junior high school age, 13 to 15. THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES "Theatre for young Audiences" is a term encompassing "Theatre for Children" and "Theatre for youth", the distinction being the age range of the intended audience. Even though adults frequently attend Theatre for Young Audiences, either as teachers accompanying classes, as parents with their children, or merely as interested patrons, the focus of the performance remains on the young people in the audience. 3 According to the study, Theatre for Young Audiences, consists of the performance of a largely predetermined theatrical art work by living actors in 2Ann Viola, DRAMA WITH AND FOR CHILDREN: AN INTERPRETATION OF TERMS, Educational Theatre Journal vii 2 (May 1956), 139-142. " , 3Children's Theatre Review, xxvii, 1(1978), pp.1O-11.

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