Theatre/Archaeology

241 Pages·2005·2.45 MB·English

THEATRE/ARCHAEOLOGY
What is the connection between site-specific performance and interpretation of the past?
How and why can the documentation of contemporary performance be related to ancient
performative practices, such as Greek warfare?
Theatre/Archaeologyis a brilliant and provocative challenge to disciplinary practice and intellectual
boundaries. It brings together radical proposals in both archaeological and performance theory to
generate a startlingly original and intriguing methodological framework. It facilitates a new way of
investigating landscape and cityscape, and notions of physicality, encounter, site and context.
The book takes scholarly innovation to new levels. It is the result of a long-term, unique
collaboration between a renowned archaeological theorist and a leading theatre artist. The result
is vibrant dialogic writing that bridges the scholarly/poetic divide.
In its unique integration of theory, narrative and autobiography, Theatre/Archaeologybrings a
new dimension to two burgeoning fields of enquiry.
Mike Pearson is Professor of Performance Studies at the University of Wales Aberystwyth.
For thirty years he has pioneered innovative approaches in the practice, theory, pedagogy and
documentation of performance. From 1981 to 1997 he was an artistic director of the theatre
company Brith Gof.
Michael Shanks is Professor of Classics and of Cultural Anthropology at Stanford University. He
is one of the world’s foremost archaeological thinkers, and author of many works including
ReconstructingArchaeology(1992),Experiencing the Past(1992),Classical Archaeology of Greece
(1996) and Art and the Greek City State(1999).

THEATRE/ARCHAEOLOGY
MIKE PEARSON MICHAEL SHANKS
London and New York
First published 2001 by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
© 2001 Mike Pearson and Michael Shanks
The right of Mike Pearson and Michael Shanks to be identified
as the Authors of this Work has been asserted by them
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Designed by Sutchinda Rangsi Thompson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Pearson, Mike, 1949-
Theatre/archaeology : disciplinary dialogues / Mike Pearson and Michael Shanks.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Theatre–Philosophy. 2. Archaeology–Philosophy. 3. Theatre and society. 4. Social
archaeology. 5. Historical reenactments. I. Shanks, Michael. II. Title.
PN2039 .P375 2001
792’.01–dc2100-045791
ISBN 0-203-99596-1(cid:13)(cid:10)(cid:10) Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0–415–19458–X (pbk)
ISBN 0–415–19457–1 (hbk)
CONTENTS
Figures VII V
Preface XI
A project in performance XII
An archaeological project XIV
A joint project XVII
Introduction 1
A photograph, in black and white 2
A technical drawing 3
A video 3
A memory 4
Performance 5
Archaeological theory 6
These are the things that remain 8
Experiencing the past 9
1 Theatre archaeology 13
Performance 13
Archaeology 28
Theatre archaeology: convergences 53
2 Theatre and archaeology 68
The cyborg from archaic Greece to postmodernity: dramaturgies 70
of sovereignty
Gododdin: the past in the present 101
Visiting the past: stories of heritage and authenticity 112
Monuments and morbid echoes: choreographing the prehistoric body 119
3 Theatre/archaeology 131
Landscape: walking 132
Cityscape: walking 147
Landscape: standing still 151
Esgair Fraith: a sedimentary map 162
Afterword and acknowledgements 179
Performances 187
Bibliography 190
Index 207
V
I
THEATRE/ARCHAEOLOGY
FIGURES
1 Theatre-in-Transit: Odyssey 2 V
II
2 Mike Pearson/Peter Brötzmann: Angelus 4
3 RAT Theatre: Blindfold 9
4 Brith Gof: Los Angeles 14
5 A seventh-century Korinthian aryballosfrom Brindisi 70
6 Tetsuo 71
7 Full Metal Jacket 72
8 Archaic Korinthian helmet from Olympia 72
9 A panther upon an aryballos 74
10 Gorgo, from a black figure dinos 75
11 A cuirass from Argos 80
12 An archaic Greek kouros 80
13 Tetsuo 88
14 Full Metal Jacket:amazon 89
15 The Toyne family, Grayingham, Lincolnshire, 1909 170
16 George Shaw, Queensland, Australia, 1902 173
R:Ruin S:Space A:Architecture B:Body O:Object M:Monument E:Everyday
Pages 20–1
B.1 Brith Gof: Gododdin. Photo: André Lützen
M.1 Mike Pearson/Peter Brötzmann: Der Gefesselte. Photo: André Lützen
A.1 Brith Gof: Camlann. Photo: Jens Koch
E.1 Museum of Welsh Life, St Fagans, Cardiff 1995. Photo: Michael Shanks
O.1 Brith Gof: Los Angeles. Photo: Nia Percy
R.1 Mike Pearson: Der Gefesselte. Photo: André Lützen
S.1 Brith Gof: Camlann. Photo: Jens Koch
Pages 34–5
B.2 Brith Gof: Gododdin. Photo: Pete Telfer
M.2 Brith Gof: Cusanu Esgyrn. Photo: Pete Telfer
E.2 Museum of Welsh Life, St Fagans, Cardiff 1995. Photo: Michael Shanks
A.2 Brith Gof: Arturius Rex. Photo: Pete Telfer
O.2 Brith Gof: Cusanu Esgyrn. Photo: Pete Telfer
R.2 Brith Gof: Tri Bywyd. Photo: Michael Shanks
S.2 Brith Gof: Los Angeles. Photo: Nia Percy
Pages 48–9
A.3 Brith Gof: D.O.A. Photo: Mike Pearson
M.3 RAT Theatre: Blindfold. Photo: Steve Allison
B.3 Mike Pearson at Esgair Fraith. Photo: Michael Shanks
E.3 Nails and shoe-leather, Esgair Fraith, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
R.3 Brith Gof: Haearn. Photo: Pete Telfer
O.3 Mike Pearson/Peter Brötzmann: Der Gefesselte.Photo: André Lützen
S.3 Brith Gof: La Fura dels Baus. Photo: Pete Telfer
Pages 94–5
A.4 Mike Pearson/Peter Brötzmann: Der Gefesselte.Photo: André Lützen
M.4 Brith Gof: Gododdin. Photo: Friedeman Simon
B.4 Mike Pearson/Peter Brötzmann: Der Gefesselte.Photo: André Lützen
E.4 Felled trees, Clywedog plantation, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
O.4 Brith Gof: D.O.A. Photo: Paul Jeff
R.4 Brith Gof: Cusanu Esgyrn. Photo: Pete Telfer
S.4 Brith Gof: Pax. Photo: Pete Telfer
Pages 106–7
O.5 Brith Gof: Haearn. Photo: Pete Telfer
S.5 Driving in Latvia. Photo: Michael Shanks
B.5 Brith Gof: Pax. Photo: Pete Telfer
M.5 Megalithic interiors. Photo: Michael Shanks
A.5 Cobweb. Photo: Michael Shanks
E.5 Brith Gof: Arturius Rex. Photo: Pete Telfer
R.5 Dead tree, Clywedog plantation, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
Pages 126–7
E.6 Footprint, Copenhagen. Photo: Mike Pearson
V A.6 Pentre Ifan: neolithic tomb. Photo: Michael Shanks
III
B.6 Brith Gof: Cusanu Esgyrn. Photo: Pete Telfer
S.6 Forest track, Clywedog plantation, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
O.6 Etruscan jar. Photo: Michael Shanks
R.6 Blaeanafon baths. Photo: Michael Shanks
M.6 Torso carving. Neolithic tomb, Les Pierres Platte, Brittany. Photo: Mike Pearson
THEATRE/ARCHAEOLOGY
FIGURES
Pages 134–5
A.7 Clywedog plantation, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
B.7 Brith Gof: Arturius Rex. Photo: Pete Telfer
S.7 Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland, 1988. Photo: Michael Shanks
E.7 Disused shop, Cardiff. Photo: Mike Pearson
O.7 Brith Gof: Cusanu Esgyrn. Photo: Pete Telfer
M.7 Hyde Park farm, near Gaiman, Patagonia. Photo: Mike Pearson
R.7 House interior, Clywedog plantation, West Wales. Photo: Michael Shanks
IX
Pages 156–7
M.8 Welsh grave, Trelew, Patagonia. Photo: Mike Pearson
S.8 Delphi: European aristocracy on tour. Photo: Cambridge Museum of Classical
Archaeology
B.8 Walking in Latvia. Photo: Michael Shanks
R.8 Ancient Argrigento, Sicily. After Stewart and Revett
A.8 Brith Gof: Pax. Photo: Nicholas Cook
E.8 Excavation: Phylakopi on Melos. Photo: Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology
O.8 Dead sheep’s leg. Photo: Michael Shanks